Illustration of gear
- G gear 6a(2)
2
: equipment, paraphernalia
fishing gear
3
a
: the rigging of a ship or boat
b
: the harness especially of horses
4
dialectal, chiefly British
: absurd talk : nonsense
5
dialectal, chiefly British
: doings
6
a(1)
: a mechanism that performs a specific function in a complete machine
steering gear
(2)
: a toothed wheel
(3)
: working relation, position, order, or adjustment
got her career in gear
(4)
: a level or pace of functioning
kicked their performance into high gear
b
: one of two or more adjustments of a transmission (as of a bicycle or motor vehicle) that determine mechanical advantage, relative speed, and direction of travel
geared; gearing; gears
1
a
: to provide (machinery) with gearing (see gearing sense 2)
b
: to connect by gearing (see gearing sense 1)
2
a
: to make ready for effective operation
b
: to adjust so as to match, blend with, or satisfy something
gearing wages to productivity
1
a
British, of machinery
: to be in gear : mesh
b
: shift sense 1c
gear down
2
: to become adjusted so as to match, blend, or harmonize
The industry is geared to meet growing consumer demand.
Synonyms
Examples of gear in a Sentence
Noun
I somehow managed to pack all my gear into one suitcase.
soldiers in full combat gear
a complicated arrangement of gears and shafts
a car with four forward gears
Halfway up the hill, my bike slipped out of gear.
Recent Examples on the Web
Steven Aquino, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Each suite is color-themed and equipped with beach gear and a wagon for toting it.
—Jennifer Salerno, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2023
But our bachelor was able to switch gears and interact easily with the attractive — and equally senior — female contestants on the show.
—Barbara Lippert, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Nov. 2023
This $15 Slice box cutter is a dream to use
One downside of testing gear for a living: the boxes.
—Condé Nast, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2023
Marmot: Need a refresh on your camping clothes or gear?
—Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Nov. 2023
There are smart TVs that are up to $2,500 less right now, cool tech gadgets, home gear, including Dyson vacuums, and entertainment that will provide hours of pure fun for the whole family, like building a Lego version of Cinderella and Prince Charming’s castle.
—Jon Fisher, Peoplemag, 27 Nov. 2023
Moncler, a label born 71 years ago in a snowcapped mountain village near Grenoble, is now as synonymous with viral brand team-ups as classic ski gear, but back in the mid-2000s this was one of its fledgling collaborations (the first being in 2003 with Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquière).
—Laura Hawkins, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2023
So far this year, the Port of San Diego has used the railroad to ship more than 2,000 pieces of military equipment including huge, box-like shipping containers, tanks, fighting vehicles, mine-sweeping gear and various rolling stock, port spokesperson Gabriella Rodriguez said in mid-November.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2023
Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2023
The plan is for 80% of the demos to rotate every three to eight months, although they are somewhat geared around New York-centric industries, like financial services, media and retail.
—Isabelle Bousquette, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2023
The food is geared toward comfort rather than Instagram perfection.
—Priya Krishna, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2023
Younger people shunning apps? For dating companies, however, competition to cash in on that loneliness has become increasingly fierce amid a proliferation of apps geared to all manner of customers and signs that online dating is losing its luster with younger Americans.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2023
The second part of the title calls to mind the sort of old-fashioned adventure movies geared toward kids that have inspired this ramshackle spoof reminding you that sketch comedy is best appreciated in small doses.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023
This cozy pub is less geared toward tourists than on-mountain après spots.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 15 Nov. 2023
The slender book, with playful drawings and heaping helpings of humor, is geared toward young cooks or those young at heart who want to explore the many shapes and sizes of pasta, and get advice on the best ways to use each one.
—Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2023
The company will offer a Super Bowl simulcast on Nickelodeon geared toward kids and families.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 1 Nov. 2023
See More
Noun
All told, using one’s voice to power on and off A/V gear and the like can prove to be far more accessible than manually switching inputs or whatnot.
—Steven Aquino, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Each suite is color-themed and equipped with beach gear and a wagon for toting it.
—Jennifer Salerno, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2023
But our bachelor was able to switch gears and interact easily with the attractive — and equally senior — female contestants on the show.
—Barbara Lippert, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Nov. 2023
This $15 Slice box cutter is a dream to use
One downside of testing gear for a living: the boxes.
—Condé Nast, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2023
Marmot: Need a refresh on your camping clothes or gear?
—Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Nov. 2023
There are smart TVs that are up to $2,500 less right now, cool tech gadgets, home gear, including Dyson vacuums, and entertainment that will provide hours of pure fun for the whole family, like building a Lego version of Cinderella and Prince Charming’s castle.
—Jon Fisher, Peoplemag, 27 Nov. 2023
Moncler, a label born 71 years ago in a snowcapped mountain village near Grenoble, is now as synonymous with viral brand team-ups as classic ski gear, but back in the mid-2000s this was one of its fledgling collaborations (the first being in 2003 with Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquière).
—Laura Hawkins, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2023
So far this year, the Port of San Diego has used the railroad to ship more than 2,000 pieces of military equipment including huge, box-like shipping containers, tanks, fighting vehicles, mine-sweeping gear and various rolling stock, port spokesperson Gabriella Rodriguez said in mid-November.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2023
Verb
The new accommodations will be largely geared towards family trips or group travel and will range from one- to three-bedroom homes, so there’s plenty of space to spread out.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2023
The plan is for 80% of the demos to rotate every three to eight months, although they are somewhat geared around New York-centric industries, like financial services, media and retail.
—Isabelle Bousquette, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2023
The food is geared toward comfort rather than Instagram perfection.
—Priya Krishna, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2023
Younger people shunning apps? For dating companies, however, competition to cash in on that loneliness has become increasingly fierce amid a proliferation of apps geared to all manner of customers and signs that online dating is losing its luster with younger Americans.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2023
The second part of the title calls to mind the sort of old-fashioned adventure movies geared toward kids that have inspired this ramshackle spoof reminding you that sketch comedy is best appreciated in small doses.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023
This cozy pub is less geared toward tourists than on-mountain après spots.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 15 Nov. 2023
The slender book, with playful drawings and heaping helpings of humor, is geared toward young cooks or those young at heart who want to explore the many shapes and sizes of pasta, and get advice on the best ways to use each one.
—Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2023
The company will offer a Super Bowl simulcast on Nickelodeon geared toward kids and families.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 1 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English gere, from Old Norse gervi, gǫrvi; akin to Old English gearwe equipment, clothing, gearu ready — more at yare
Verb
derivative of gear entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1851, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of gear was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing gear
Dictionary Entries Near gear
Cite this Entry
“Gear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gear. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
gear
1 of 2 noun1
: equipment sense 2
camping gear
electronic gear
2
a
: a mechanism that performs a specific function in a machine
steering gear
b
: a toothed wheel : cogwheel
3
a
: working order, relation, or adjustment
got her career in gear
b
: one of the adjustments of a transmission (as of a bicycle or motor vehicle) that determine the direction of travel and the relative speed of the engine and the vehicle
gear
2 of 2 verb1
: to provide or connect with gearing
2
: to prepare for operation
gear up for production
3
: to make suitable
a book geared for children
More from Merriam-Webster on gear
Nglish: Translation of gear for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of gear for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gear
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