high gear

noun

1
2
: a state of intense or maximum activity
usually used with into or in
a project in high gear

Examples of high gear in a Sentence

She shifted the car into high gear.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Coming from Illinois, things start out slow, but the scenery kicks into high gear once the train crosses through Raton Pass from Colorado into New Mexico, where you’ll likely be treated to a wondrous desert sunset that turns the skies sherbet orange. Ellen Carpenter, AFAR Media, 24 Apr. 2025 His motor kicked into high gear, driving through everyone in front of him and hitting absurd shots in the paint. Jared Weiss, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025 Her initial finance filing shows her spending about $4,000 in startup costs and bank fees, with only a few hundred dollars in cash on hand this month — all figures bound to change as the campaigns kick into high gear. Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2025 Earnings season kicks into high gear next week with more than 100 companies in the S & P 500 scheduled to report. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for high gear

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of high gear was in 1889

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“High gear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high%20gear. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on high gear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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