pushed

pushed — adjective

1. having too little of something essential, such as time or money, to do what need

1.形容詞B2
釋義

having too little of something essential, such as time or money, to do what needs to be done.

例句

Karim was pushed for time today, so he grabbed a banana and ran to the station.

pattern: pushed for [resource noun]

The community centre is pushed for money and may cancel its summer programme for children.

同義詞
  • short of

    more neutral and common; 'short of time' works in both formal and informal contexts

  • stretched

    similar informal register but emphasises being spread thin rather than lacking

  • pressed

    very close synonym; 'pressed for time' is interchangeable in most cases

反義詞
  • flush with

    informal; having plenty of time or money

  • well-off

    describes having enough financial resources

文法句型

be + pushed + for + [resource noun]

be + pushed + adverb

用法筆記

Always used predicatively (after a linking verb like 'be', 'feel', or 'seem') — never placed before a noun. The resource noun following 'for' is typically uncountable: time, money, space, cash.

常見錯誤

❌I am pushed time this morning.
✅I am pushed for time this morning.
💡The preposition 'for' is required after 'pushed'.
❌She is a pushed woman.
✅She feels pushed for money.
💡'Pushed' cannot go before a noun; use it predicatively.
❌We are pushed of time.
✅We are pushed for time.
💡Use 'for', not 'of', after 'pushed'.

2. experiencing great difficulty when trying to do something, especially because th

2.形容詞B2
釋義

experiencing great difficulty when trying to do something, especially because the task is demanding or time is limited.

例句

Nia was pushed to finish the marathon after twisting her ankle at the halfway mark.

pattern: pushed + to-infinitive

You would be hard pushed to find a quieter café than this one near the old temple.

fixed expression: 'hard pushed to'

同義詞
  • hard-pressed

    slightly more formal; often interchangeable with 'hard pushed'

  • stretched

    emphasises being at the limit of one's capacity, especially with multiple demands

  • taxed

    less common; suggests a mental or physical burden

反義詞

文法句型

be + pushed + to-infinitive

be + hard + pushed + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Commonly appears in the fixed phrase 'hard pushed' (or 'hard-pushed') to emphasise near-impossibility. Unlike the 'PRESSED FOR TIME/MONEY' sense, this sense always takes a to-infinitive clause, not a prepositional phrase.

常見錯誤

❌I was pushed for finishing the report.
✅I was pushed to finish the report.
💡This sense takes a to-infinitive, not a prepositional phrase.
❌We are hard to pushed meet the deadline.
✅We are hard pushed to meet the deadline.
💡The adjective 'hard' comes before 'pushed', not after it.
❌He is a pushed student.
✅He feels pushed to keep up with the coursework.
💡'Pushed' cannot be used attributively before a noun.