gearshift

noun

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gear·shift | \ ˈgir-ˌshift

variants: or gear shift

plural gearshifts or gear shifts

Definition of gearshift

1 : a mechanism by which the transmission gears in a power-transmission system are engaged and disengaged also : a lever for controlling such a mechanism

2 : the functioning of a gearshift mechanism : the act or an instance of shifting gears A new, eight-speed automatic transmission makes gear shifts based in part on g-forces that the car encounters during spirited driving.— Ann M. Job

Examples of gearshift in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Use of the feature is selected by double-clicking the gearshift into Drive after selecting the Pure driving mode on the central screen. — Jamie Kitman, Car and Driver, 18 Mar. 2022 The burden of those unmet expectations combined with injuries that have required them to maintain hope have basically left this team spinning its wheels with the gearshift in neutral. — Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2022 The Emira's gearshift had a better weight and feel than the loose shifter of the Evora, but the linkage often seemed to snag on changes across the planes of the box, especially the shift from second to third. — Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 8 Mar. 2022 Andrei handed me the controls and dove into the driver’s seat, jamming the key in the ignition and raking the gearshift into drive. — Alexander Sammon, The New Republic, 16 Feb. 2022 The car’s engine was running, the gearshift was in drive and the man’s foot was on the brake. — Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 28 Jan. 2022 The shiny black plastic around the gearshift—shared with the 2-series Gran Coupe—feels particularly cheap. — Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 2 Dec. 2021 The clutch was light and smooth in its take-up, the gearshift for the five-speed ZF ‘box surprisingly light and the steering surgically precise. — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2021 Eisvogelblau is also found throughout the interior, adorning the special Recaro Sportster CS seats, custom gearshift, steering wheel, door panels, floor mats, and seatbelts. — Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 22 July 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gearshift.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.