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.

See Examples For:

high gear

The next big test, however, will be whether policymakers can provide more calm in the coming weeks as supply from the corporate bond market kicks into high gear.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

And that’s before El Niño even kicks into high gear.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

As second-quarter earnings kick into high gear this week, Wall Street analysts seem to be feeling pretty good, despite ongoing concerns about the impact of the Iran war.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026

In retirement, I figured, my wealth of time would shift my inner handyman into high gear.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026

She didn’t want to go into high gear.

From "George" by Alex Gino

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