bring to bear

Idioms  

1. Exert, apply, as in All his efforts are brought to bear on the new problem, or The union is bringing pressure to bear on management. [Late 1600s]

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Example Sentences

Morally if not legally, they deserve more grief than whatever the Justice Department manages to bring to bear on them, which won’t be much.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

"They have a wide variety of threats that they can bring to bear," Schroden added.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

He hopes “to bring to bear at the federal level many of the changes that we’re leading with here in California,” and has said promoting electric cars and solar and wind energy isn’t enough.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2024

But it said it recognised "the huge wealth of resources, expertise and innovation capability these large firms can bring to bear".

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2024

He looks out at us with astonishing directness, as if he were reading us with the same intensity that we bring to bear on his strongly modeled features.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson