How to say "squeeze" in Japanese

• しぼるJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers squeezing or wringing something to get liquid out, such as a towel or rag. This is the natural everyday verb for that physical sense of 'squeeze'.
• 絞り込むしぼりこむCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbMeans to squeeze out or wring out thoroughly; it is also widely used for narrowing something down, as when filtering search results or options. The 'squeeze' gloss fits the wringing sense.
• 吸い取るすいとるCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbPrimarily means to suck up or absorb something, but it is also used figuratively for squeezing money out of someone, implying exploitative extraction. It is not the word for physically squeezing objects.
  この吸い取すいとり紙しはインクをよく吸い取すいとる。↗

  This blotting paper absorbs ink well.
• スクイズCommon
  noun, suru verbA loanword referring specifically to the squeeze play in baseball. Outside that sporting context it is essentially never the way to say 'squeeze'.
• 詰め込むつめこむCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbMeans to cram, stuff, or pack things tightly into a space. The 'squeeze' sense here is about fitting things in by force, not wringing out liquid or pressing something.
  彼かれはリンゴを詰め込つめこんだ袋ふくろを持もっていた。↗

  He carried a bag full of apples.

Choose 「しぼる」 for wringing out liquids, 「絞り込む」 for squeezing down or narrowing, 「吸い取る」 for extracting by sucking (including money), 「スクイズ」 only for the baseball play, and 「詰め込む」 for cramming things in.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• しぼるto wring (towel, rag)
• 絞り込むしぼりこむto squeeze
• 吸い取るすいとるto suck up
• スクイズsqueeze (play)
• 詰め込むつめこむto cram
• スクイーズsqueeze
• 絞り上げるしぼりあげるto squeeze (to the utmost)
• 押し縮めるおしちぢめるto squeeze
• 締め上げるしめあげるto firmly tighten (e.g. around neck, throat)
• 搾り取るしぼりとるto exploit
• 握り込むにぎりこむto grip
• 締めつけるしめつけるto control strictly
• かするto take a percentage
• しぼりsqueeze