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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.

Now the two teams will be hoping to get their bats into high gear from the beginning.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

The series also resists the temptation to show Gacy dressed up as Pogo the Clown, the image that helped kick several generations’ claims of coulrophobia into high gear.

From Salon • Oct. 29, 2025

The competition for AI talent kicked into high gear when Mark Zuckerberg began poaching top AI workers from rivals, offering multimillion-dollar pay packages.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

This week, as the government shutdown continues into its second week, earnings season kicks into high gear, giving investors something to chew on, absent economic data from the federal government.

From Barron's • Oct. 12, 2025

Ivy swallowed hard, and her heart kicked into high gear.

From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake

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