bear (down on) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of bear (down on)next
as in to weigh (on or upon)
to push steadily against with some force you need to bear down on that cap a bit to get it to latch tightly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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bear down on

2 of 2

phrase

as in highlight
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on Our manager bore down on the need to meet upcoming deadlines.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bear (down on)
  1. press
  2. shove
  3. compress
Verb
  • Again, Nathan has no good explanation for this disorganization when Sandy presses him.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2026
  • California officials have since continued pressing the administration for additional federal disaster assistance while accusing the White House of politicizing the recovery.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of press
Verb
  • Rhodes escaped and shoved Punk shoulder-first into the steel ring steps.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Nor was it given a say when a near 30-minute half-time show was shoved into the tournament’s final.
    — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of shove
Verb
  • This results in a concentrated stream of CO₂, which can then be compressed and injected into permanent underground geological storage.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Place remaining pâte à choux round on top and press down slightly to compress.
    — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of compress
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.

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Bear (down on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bear%20%28down%20on%29. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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