bear down

verb

bore down; borne down also born down; bearing down; bears down

transitive verb

: overcome, overwhelm

intransitive verb

: to exert full strength and concentrated attention

Phrases

bear down on

1

: emphasize

2

: to weigh heavily on : burden

Synonyms

• depress
• press
• shove
• weigh (on or upon)

Examples of bear down in a Sentence

you need to bear down on that cap a bit to get it to latch tightly

Recent Examples on the Web

Regulatory deadlines are bearing down, and many companies are scrambling to assemble their data and reports before continuing to internal and external audits. —Martha Amram, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

With Election Day bearing down, guarding against misinformation is more vital than ever. —Joedy McCreary, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024

With Election Day bearing down, the economy remains top of mind for voters — but perhaps nowhere more than in Nevada, which has dealt with more than its share of economic headwinds over the past four years. —Peter Balonon-Rosen, Vox, 29 Oct. 2024

More help is now needed in the wake of Hurricane Helene, and more still is likely to be needed after Hurricane Milton, now bearing down on Florida's western coast. —Alex Fitzpatrick, Axios, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

bear down

verb

1

: overwhelm, overcome

2

: to press or weigh down

3

: to make an all-out effort

4

: to weigh heavily on : burden

Medical Definition

bear down

intransitive verb

(ˈ)ba(ə)r-ˈdau̇n, (ˈ)be(ə)r- 

: to contract the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm during childbirth