as in shoves
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
bears down on
2 of 2phrase
as in highlights
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 bears (down on)
Verb
-
Back in the family’s house, the walking corpse shoves a boy onto the dishwasher, impaling him full of cutlery.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
15 Apr. 2026 -
Frances shoves June at Boy Carteret.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Before laboratory panels, before imaging, before algorithms, physicians attempted to understand how the world presses upon a particular body over time.—
Celina Yong,
STAT,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Graham-Dixon presses its claim afresh, and, in the process, discovers it everywhere.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The memory foam feels plush yet supportive, and the pillow compresses down to fit easily in a carry-on when not in use.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Moisture can influence the leather and core, changing how the ball compresses at impact.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bears (down on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bears%20%28down%20on%29. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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