downshift

verb

down·​shift ˈdau̇n-ˌshift 

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

Since ’18-19, the winger has served valiantly as a bottom-6 high motor, a plugger who refuses to downshift during big moments. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026

Grit works well in short bursts: Finish a marathon, pull an all-nighter, push through a hard season at work, and then downshift the intensity. —Dimity McDowell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026

Consequently, high-earning professionals will be forced to downshift into gig economy roles, flooding the labor supply and pushing down wages across the entire economy. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026

Because the brain loves patterns, predictability is helpful for the nervous system to downshift more quickly. —Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for downshift

• adrift
• airlift
• facelift
• festschrift
• forklift
• gearshift
• makeshift
• redshift
• sealift
• snowdrift
• spendthrift
• clift