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
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.
This quiet settling phase allows the nervous system to downshift and reinforces feelings of safety and connection. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Growth had been expected to downshift no matter who won the 2024 election as a post-COVID-19 surge in consumer demand petered out, Americans depleted government pandemic aid and other government stimulus measures faded. Paul Davidson, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025 As such, the universal logistical and financial burden of childcare falls on individual parents, with the lower-earning partner, often the mother, more likely to downshift their career to accommodate their family’s needs, thereby all but guaranteeing a lifetime of financial disparity. Katie Gatti Tassin, Time, 10 June 2025 Household income growth is slowing and likely to downshift further the next few years, posing risks for consumer spending and the broader economy, forecasters say. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for downshift

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of downshift was in 1944

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Cite this Entry

“Downshift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downshift. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on downshift

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