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
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.
The Royals hope to get under the 40-man roster threshold before the 2027 offseason kicks into high gear after the World Series. — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026 Senna, the feature documentary about the Brazilian Formula One champion who was killed on the track at age 34, put Kapadia’s career into high gear. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026 Netflix , Tesla and Club names Meta Platforms and Capital One are among the companies set to report quarterly results in the coming days, as third-quarter earnings season kicks into high gear. — Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026 The breakout star of the summer box office kicked her Oscar campaign into high gear this week with a media blitz, including a W magazine cover and a live recording of THR’s awards podcast. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for high gear

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of high gear was in 1889

Rhymes for high gear

See All Rhymes for high gear

Browse Nearby Words

high-front
high gear
High German
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“High gear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high%20gear. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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