bear down

American  

[bair daun] / ˌbɛər ˈdaʊn /

verb (used without object)

bore down, bearing down

1. to advance on a person, place, or thing in an intimidating way.

2. (of weather) to have a particularly intense impact (often followed by on).

3. to expend a great deal of effort.

4. to apply oneself with determination.

5. to use the abdominal muscles to exert internal pressure.

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verb (used with object)

bore down, bearing down

1. to defeat, oppress, press down on, or exhaust.

bear down British  

verb

1. to press or weigh down

2. to approach in a determined or threatening manner

3. (of a vessel) to make an approach (to another vessel, obstacle, etc) from windward

4. (of a woman during childbirth) to exert a voluntary muscular pressure to assist delivery

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bear down Idioms  

1. Press or weigh down on someone or something. For example, This pen doesn't write unless you bear down hard on it . [Late 1600s]

2. Try hard, intensify one's efforts, as in If you'll just bear down, you'll pass the test .

3. Move forward in a pressing or threatening way, as in The ferry bore down on our little skiff . This usage was originally nautical. [Early 1700s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bear down

Being able to bear down and wear down opponents is a sign of a good team.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2026

It was a blackly comic story of the pressures of the modern economy—and, in particular, of how they bear down on men in their traditional roles as providers and patriarchs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

That question matters more than ever as tariffs, surging energy prices and the threat of artificial intelligence bear down on the broader economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026

“Playoffs can get uncomfortable for some people, but I think he’s one of those guys who can focus and bear down in these moments. And he wants the moment. That’s a talent and a skill.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2024

The flames that bear down on me have an unnatural height, a uniformity that marks them as humanmade, machine-made, Gamemaker-made.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

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