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

see also:

bear down on

Synonyms of bear down

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

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

Flames bore down deeper into the region of the Greek capital, forcing fresh evacuations in the early hours of Monday. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Portable fans are a great way to beat the heat that's bearing down on us in more places around the world lately. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 3 Aug. 2026

Before the water had even fully receded, Hurricane Milton was bearing down as a Category 5, forcing the family to brace for a second direct hit while still standing in the wreckage of the first. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026

However, Skubal was able to bear down with runners in scoring position. — Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for bear down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

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