bear (down on) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of bear (down on)next
as in to weigh (on or upon)
to push steadily against with some force you need to bear down on that cap a bit to get it to latch tightly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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bear down on

2 of 2

phrase

as in highlight
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on Our manager bore down on the need to meet upcoming deadlines.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bear (down on)
  1. press
  2. shove
  3. compress
Verb
  • Democrats must not waste time pressing impeachments, open borders, wealth taxes or even Supreme Court reform as much as it is needed.
    — James D. Zirin, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The Fort Worth and Fort Collins shows—the former the only 1976 show ever officially pressed to vinyl, the latter released to streaming services without notice a week before the box’s arrival—are instant classics of Dylan’s entire live oeuvre.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of press
Verb
  • The video from student cameras on Friday shows pushing and shoving before a Pine-Richland player throws a punch at a Plum player's head.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The agent appeared to point their gun at the neighbor’s face before shoving him into a row of hedges.
    — Greta Bjornson, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of shove
Verb
  • When a suitable alloy is compressed or stretched, this transformation releases heat.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Campbell's head and neck seemed to compress into his torso upon impact.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of compress
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Bear (down on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bear%20%28down%20on%29. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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