1 B1 neutral
To change to a lower gear in a vehicle to slow down or increase engine control.
"You need to gear down before you reach the steep descent — the brakes alone won't be enough."
inseparable
gear down
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
To shift to a lower gear in a vehicle, or to reduce one's level of activity or intensity.
In plain English
To slow down or work less hard, either in a car or in life.
What does "gear down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To reduce the pace or intensity of one's work or activities.
"After the busy holiday season, the team geared down and focused on planning for the new year."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move the gear lever to a lower-numbered gear, reducing speed and increasing engine control.
Actually means
To slow down or work less hard, either in a car or in life.
Usage tip
In a driving context, it is the literal opposite of 'gear up'. The figurative sense (reducing workload or pace of life) is common in American English. Both senses are widely understood.
Words that pair with "gear down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
engine hill production operations pace intensity
How to conjugate "gear down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
gear down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gears down
he/she/it
Past simple
geared down
yesterday
Past participle
geared down
have + pp
-ing form
gearing down
continuous
Hear "gear down" in the wild
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