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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
As a rival striker bore down on his team’s goal, Guardiola — crouching on his haunches on the sideline — lost his balance and toppled over onto his back.
—Tariq Panja, New York Times, 17 May 2024
As Hurricane Hilary bore down on the California coast last August, dropping record rainfall in parts of the Southwest, Idaho earned its own little footnote in history.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 9 Apr. 2024
By the early morning, over 50,000 households in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio were without power as the storm bore down on the Midwest, according to a database maintained by USA TODAY.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
As the full force of the Realm bears down on the burgeoning rebellion, unbreakable bonds are forged, heroes emerge, and legends are made.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bear down
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bear down.' 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
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of bear down was
in the 14th century
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 18 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
Medical Definition
bear down
intransitive verb
: to contract the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm during childbirth
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