bear down

verb

bore down; borne down also born down; bearing down; bears down

intransitive verb

: to exert full strength and concentrated attention
Phrases
bear down on
1
2
: to weigh heavily on : burden

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
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.
With Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton bearing down on him, Allen slid. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2025 Since then, the airport has been boarded up and all outgoing flights canceled, leaving many tourists stranded as the hurricane bears down, the station added. Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025 Starlink, the satellite internet service that is a lucrative part of billionaire Elon Musk's business empire, will be free to people in Jamaica and the Bahamas as Hurricane Melissa bears down on the region. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025 Storms targets Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba With Melissa expected to bear down on Jamaica on Monday and Tuesday, disaster responders are also keeping a close eye on Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Cayman Islands, the southern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bear down

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bear%20down. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

bear down

verb
1
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
: to contract the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm during childbirth
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!