high gear

noun

1

: high sense 3b

2

: a state of intense or maximum activity

—usually used with into or in

a project in high gear

Examples of high gear in a Sentence

She shifted the car into high gear.

Recent Examples on the Web

Earnings season has kicked into high gear, and companies such as GE Vernova , Lam Research and United Airlines are poised to deliver positive profit surprises, according to Morgan Stanley. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 14 July 2026

Meek, a 10-year-old Black girl, is grappling with her fears of nuclear Armageddon as more prosaic domestic concerns kick into high gear. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

The team then found that exposure to antibiotics kicked the exchange into high gear, making the protein transfer rate jump roughly 4,000-fold. — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 6 July 2026

As America's birthday celebrations kick into high gear, so too do criticisms of the preeminent national group organizing them, Freedom 250. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 2 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for high gear

• adhere
• ameer
• amir
• appear
• arrear
• astir
• austere
• career
• cashier
• cohere
• compere
• emir