bear down

verb

bore down; borne down also born down; bearing down; bears down

transitive verb

: overcome, overwhelm

intransitive verb

: to exert full strength and concentrated attention

Phrases

bear down on

1

: emphasize

2

: to weigh heavily on : burden

Synonyms

• depress
• press
• shove
• weigh (on or upon)

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

Quite coincidentally, as Hurricane Helene was bearing down on the Southeast last week, Zillow announced a new feature that displays climate risk scores on listing pages alongside interactive maps and insurance requirements. —Adam Clark Estes, WIRED, 12 Oct. 2024

Milton, expected to make landfall as a major hurricane late on Oct. 9, is bearing down on boat and spa factories along Florida’s west-central coast, along with the rubber, plastics, and fiberglass manufacturers that supply them. —James R. Elliott, Discover Magazine, 10 Oct. 2024

As Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida, the staff at Sarasota Memorial Hospital is getting ready. —Sara G. Miller, NBC News, 9 Oct. 2024

In today’s newsletter, as the potentially devastating Hurricane Milton is bearing down on Florida’s west coast, a new feature explores signs of climate distress coming from Greenland. —Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

bear down

verb

1

: overwhelm, overcome

2

: to press or weigh down

3

: to make an all-out effort

4

: to weigh heavily on : burden

Medical Definition

bear down

intransitive verb

(ˈ)ba(ə)r-ˈdau̇n, (ˈ)be(ə)r- 

: to contract the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm during childbirth