gear up

verb

geared up; gearing up; gears up
Synonyms of gear upnext

intransitive verb

: to get ready
are gearing up for the big game

Examples of gear up in a Sentence

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.
Positions And Guidance States are also gearing up for tax season. Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026 But humans aren’t the only ones hunkering down; zoos across the country are gearing up for the winter storm, too. Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026 The Kansas City metro is gearing up for the first major winter storm of 2026. The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026 Media executives have been gearing up for AI to deal the journalism industry a fatal blow as the advent of the tech has left devastating holes in web traffic. Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 22 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gear up

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gear up was in 1943

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Cite this Entry

“Gear up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gear%20up. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

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