bear down
verb
bore down; borne down also born down; bearing down; bears down
: to exert full strength and concentrated attention
see also:
Examples of bear down in a Sentence
you need to bear down on that cap a bit to get it to latch tightly
Recent Examples on the Web
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with a country gripped by political polarization and a heat wave bearing down on millions of people across multiple states as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday.
—
Steven Sloan,
Chicago Tribune,
4 July 2026
Ginn bore down and struck out Dodgers second baseman Alex Freeman looking on the seventh pitch of the at-bat.
—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
Part thriller, part horror experience and part interactive film, Unhinged drops players into the middle of a Category 5 hurricane bearing down on South Carolina.
—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
The heat wave is also bearing down on several other major Midwestern cities, including Des Moines, Detroit, and Columbus.
—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bear down
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Steven Sloan,
Chicago Tribune,
4 July 2026
Ginn bore down and struck out Dodgers second baseman Alex Freeman looking on the seventh pitch of the at-bat.
—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
Part thriller, part horror experience and part interactive film, Unhinged drops players into the middle of a Category 5 hurricane bearing down on South Carolina.
—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
The heat wave is also bearing down on several other major Midwestern cities, including Des Moines, Detroit, and Columbus.
—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bear down
Cite this Entry
“Bear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bear%20down. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
bear down
intransitive verb
: to contract the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm during childbirth
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