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
Relevance
bear down on
2 of 2phrase
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)
Verb
-
The pursuing agent presses a button, unlocking the device attached to their vehicle’s front bumper, and a net springs out.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026 -
Investigators said that video footage showed Fatherley kneeling on Adair’s back for over a minute while Adair was pressed face-down on a bed and yelling for help.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
When a push comes to shove … trust your gut.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
10 May 2026
-
Travelers end up dragging coats through museums or try to shove them into already full suitcases before a train transfer.—
Chantelle Kincy,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
In sports, especially, where career timelines are often compressed, the difference between abrupt endings and seamless transitions usually comes down to this kind of enterprise mindset.—
Sandra Richards,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2026
-
Imagine taking a huge cloud of gas, and compressing much of that material down into just a few clumps that were much smaller in physical size.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
8 May 2026
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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 11 May. 2026.
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