downshift

verb

down·​shift ˈdau̇n-ˌshift How to pronounce downshift (audio)
downshifted; downshifting; downshifts

intransitive verb

1
: to shift an automotive vehicle into a lower gear
2
: to move or shift to a lower level (as of speed, activity, or intensity)
downshift noun

Examples of downshift in a Sentence

You can downshift to slow the car down.
Recent Examples on the Web Our only complaint with the automatic was its hesitance to downshift during spirited cornering. Austin Irwin, Car and Driver, 2 Aug. 2023 The driver then engaged the second engine's clutch, which started the second powerplant, thereby doubling the vehicle's horsepower to 40 ponies, allowing the car to power onward without having to downshift. Larry Printz, Ars Technica, 4 Oct. 2023 Stack draws on an element of Monty Python-ish good humor (Simon is, unsurprisingly, a big fan of their comedy) but is able to downshift into brawler mode at any moment. Vulture, 29 Oct. 2023 Caregivers — many of whom are women — tend to downshift their careers or leave the workforce entirely to take care of loved ones. Polina Pompliano, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2023 But as the season progressed, his changeup, which moves more horizontally than vertically compared with the average one, was performing worse, causing the Angels to downshift his usage of the pitch. Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2023 One common concern parents had was that attempting to downshift back to the lower speed was difficult to achieve, especially if a rider was on an incline. Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 24 Aug. 2023 The buzzy and peaky four-cylinder isn't a good match for the eight-speed automatic transmission, which is reluctant to downshift. Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 4 Aug. 2023 Wells Fargo expects growth to downshift in the current quarter before the economy contracts in the second half of the year and in early 2024. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downshift.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of downshift was in 1944

Dictionary Entries Near downshift

Cite this Entry

“Downshift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downshift. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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