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

Attorneys expect her final decision on the settlement to come in a matter of weeks, with the July 1 deadline bearing down. —Eddie Pells, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2025

But our girl bears down, gets that kid out and then demands that the tiny infant be brought to her to nurse. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 6 Apr. 2025

Things took a dark turn that day when an unexpected blizzard bore down on the mountain, ultimately claiming the lives of several climbers. —Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025

What’s the likely budget for the summer and will challenges with PSR (profit and sustainability rules) bear down on the club? —Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025

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