high gear

Idioms

A state of maximum activity, energy, or force. For example, His mind was in high gear as he studied for the medical exam, or The political campaign is finally moving into high gear. This expression alludes to the high gear of an engine transmission, used at the fastest speeds.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The technology was developed decades ago, but federal incentives during the Obama administration kicked U.S. adoption into high gear.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

“Apple’s innovation engine was in high gear this month with a flurry of new products unveiled across the Mac, iPhone, iPad, and AirPods families,” White wrote Thursday.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

“And sometimes the benefit is you’re really just starting to kick into high gear when everybody’s starting to peter out. And sometimes that can feel like a breath of fresh air.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025

Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi said Uber’s growth kicked into high gear during the recent quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

He’s completely unwound now, went from high gear to no gear the moment he covered the lens.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023