Illustration of gear
- G gear 6a(2)
2
: equipment, paraphernalia
fishing gear
3
a
: the rigging of a ship or boat
b
: the harness especially of horses
4
dialectal, chiefly British
: absurd talk : nonsense
5
dialectal, chiefly British
: doings
6
a(1)
: a mechanism that performs a specific function in a complete machine
steering gear
(2)
: a toothed wheel
(3)
: working relation, position, order, or adjustment
got her career in gear
(4)
: a level or pace of functioning
kicked their performance into high gear
b
: one of two or more adjustments of a transmission (as of a bicycle or motor vehicle) that determine mechanical advantage, relative speed, and direction of travel
geared; gearing; gears
1
a
: to provide (machinery) with gearing (see gearing sense 2)
b
: to connect by gearing (see gearing sense 1)
2
a
: to make ready for effective operation
b
: to adjust so as to match, blend with, or satisfy something
gearing wages to productivity
1
a
British, of machinery
: to be in gear : mesh
b
: shift sense 1c
gear down
2
: to become adjusted so as to match, blend, or harmonize
The industry is geared to meet growing consumer demand.
Synonyms
Examples of gear in a Sentence
Noun
I somehow managed to pack all my gear into one suitcase.
soldiers in full combat gear
a complicated arrangement of gears and shafts
a car with four forward gears
Halfway up the hill, my bike slipped out of gear.
Recent Examples on the Web
Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 13 Nov. 2024
Dry Fire and Review Shot Placement in the Stand
Pulling triggers on a roomy bench at the range is already awkward for a new hunter; trying to do that while juggling gear and bulky layers in a blind or tree stand compounds it.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 13 Nov. 2024
Allie Volpe, Vox, 14 Nov. 2024
Businesses previously geared toward a middle-aged audience might have to revamp their branding design to appeal to a younger, but still serious-minded, crowd.
—Zaheer Dodhia, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gear 
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.
Noun
Customers can expect markdowns on tech gadgets, household essentials, kids’ toys, travel gear, and cosmetics.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 13 Nov. 2024
Dry Fire and Review Shot Placement in the Stand
Pulling triggers on a roomy bench at the range is already awkward for a new hunter; trying to do that while juggling gear and bulky layers in a blind or tree stand compounds it.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 13 Nov. 2024
Verb
Given that online dating has been a cultural mainstay for at least a decade, a pivot toward apps geared entirely toward platonic relationships isn’t entirely surprising.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 14 Nov. 2024
Businesses previously geared toward a middle-aged audience might have to revamp their branding design to appeal to a younger, but still serious-minded, crowd.
—Zaheer Dodhia, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gear
Dictionary Entries Near gear
Cite this Entry
“Gear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gear. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gear
1 of 2 noun1
: equipment sense 2
camping gear
electronic gear
2
a
: a mechanism that performs a specific function in a machine
steering gear
b
: a toothed wheel : cogwheel
3
a
: working order, relation, or adjustment
got her career in gear
b
: one of the adjustments of a transmission (as of a bicycle or motor vehicle) that determine the direction of travel and the relative speed of the engine and the vehicle
gear
2 of 2 verb1
: to provide or connect with gearing
2
: to prepare for operation
gear up for production
3
: to make suitable
a book geared for children
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share