bear down
verb
bore down; borne down also born down; bearing down; bears down
: to exert full strength and concentrated attention
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
However, inclement weather will bear down on Washington today, with snow, sleet and freezing rain expected to worsen already tough conditions for recovery personnel.
4.
—
Alexandra Banner, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
During a two-hour rehearsal, everyone, including producer Mike Elizondo, bore down on a complicated song with complex chord changes and sections that are completely different from the ones that precede it.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
Herbert escaped the pocket to his left and, with a defender bearing down, slung an off-balance pass to Davis, who reeled in his first career touchdown.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
What these past fires presented was a rare chance to respond in new ways to the pressures bearing down on the cities — from population growth, or rising rents, or the evolving demands of a new century.
—Emily Badger, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bear down 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alexandra Banner, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
During a two-hour rehearsal, everyone, including producer Mike Elizondo, bore down on a complicated song with complex chord changes and sections that are completely different from the ones that precede it.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
Herbert escaped the pocket to his left and, with a defender bearing down, slung an off-balance pass to Davis, who reeled in his first career touchdown.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
What these past fires presented was a rare chance to respond in new ways to the pressures bearing down on the cities — from population growth, or rising rents, or the evolving demands of a new century.
—Emily Badger, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bear down
Articles Related to bear down
Dictionary Entries Near bear down
Cite this Entry
“Bear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bear%20down. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
bear down
intransitive verb
: to contract the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm during childbirth
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share