Pressed cheese is cheese whose curds are subjected to pressure to expel whey and help form the cheese. Pressing is one stage of cheesemaking, and the amount of pressure and time varies with the style.
Pressed cheeses are not all identical in firmness, age, or flavor, and the term is not an exact synonym for hard cheese. Cheddar is one familiar example. The milk, culture, curd handling, salting, and aging process also influence the finished cheese.