a pressing concern — urgent issue
collocationC1IELTS 7+neutraloccasional
an issue or problem that needs immediate attention because it is very important or cannot be delayed
Say it like a native
Textbook This issue constitutes a matter of considerable urgency requiring immediate attention.
Native This is a pressing concern.
The idiom 'pressing concern' beats the long-winded 'matter of considerable urgency'.
Pattern: a pressing concern (for someone/about something)
In use
- Rising energy costs have become a pressing concern for many families this winter.work
- One pressing concern in modern cities is the lack of affordable housing, which affects both young professionals and families.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ It's a pressuring concern.
✓ It's a pressing concern.
It's 'pressing' (urgent), not 'pressuring'.
Common collocations
a pressing concern— most, becomes, remains, for
Don't confuse it
Unlike 'a concern' (any worry or issue), 'a pressing concern' specifically means something urgent that cannot be postponed.