Phrase guide

bring to bear

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To aim a weapon at a target.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The battleship brought her main guns to bear on the fort.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To apply; to employ something to achieve an intended effect.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • to bring pressure to bear on someone, to bring influence to bear on someone
  • Every possible pressure was brought to bear on the minister to ensure the unjust law was not passed.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

bring into operation or effect

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The new members brought to bear new concerns to the U.N.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: effect

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 瞄準 /瞄准 (miáozhǔn) — aim a weapon
  • Finnish: suunnata — aim a weapon
  • French: pointer — aim a weapon
  • French: viser — aim a weapon
  • German: richten — aim a weapon
  • Russian: направлять (napravljatʹ) — aim a weapon
  • Chinese Mandarin: 施加 (shījiā) — employ to achieve an effect
  • Chinese Mandarin: 應用 /应用 (yìngyòng) — employ to achieve an effect
  • Finnish: ottaa käyttöön — employ to achieve an effect
  • Finnish: käyttää — employ to achieve an effect
  • French: employer — employ to achieve an effect
  • French: appliquer — employ to achieve an effect
  • German: aufbringen — employ to achieve an effect
  • German: ausüben — employ to achieve an effect
  • Greek: εξασκώ (exaskó) — employ to achieve an effect
  • Polish: wykorzystywać — employ to achieve an effect
  • Polish: wykorzystać — employ to achieve an effect
  • Russian: претворять в жизнь (pretvorjatʹ v žiznʹ) — employ to achieve an effect
  • Swedish: applicera — employ to achieve an effect
  • Swedish: tillämpa — employ to achieve an effect
  • Swedish: ta till — employ to achieve an effect