gear up

verb

geared up; gearing up; gears up
Synonyms of gear upnext

intransitive verb

: to get ready
are gearing up for the big game

Examples of gear up in a Sentence

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.
Getty Images More than 30 years after releasing its first album, Nickelback is gearing up to drop another full-length, one which has already produced some minor rock hits in America. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 As that post indicates, SpaceX is gearing up for the 14th test flight of Starship, a megarocket that consists of Super Heavy and a 171-foot-tall (52 meters) upper stage known as Starship, or Ship for short. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The public's mounting disdain for the tech sector could prove especially challenging for Anthropic and OpenAI, both valued at nearly $1 trillion and gearing up for potentially historic IPOs. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026 The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival has geared up again at Walt Disney World. — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gear up

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gear up was in 1943

Rhymes for gear up

See All Rhymes for gear up

Browse Nearby Words

gearshift
gear up
gearwheel
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gear up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gear%20up. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gear up

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