downshift
verb
down·shift
ˈdau̇n-ˌshift 
downshifted; downshifting; downshifts
1
: to shift an automotive vehicle into a lower gear
2
: to move or shift to a lower level (as of speed, activity, or intensity)
downshift
noun
Examples of downshift in a Sentence
You can downshift to slow the car down.
Recent Examples on the Web
After a series of high-wattage star vehicles, St. Vincent was an opportunity to downshift to portray a more muted character.
—
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 4 May 2024
The trend, however, threatens to downshift the nation’s brisk economic growth.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 3 May 2024
Those sectors also drove job growth late last year, sparking forecasts of a labor market that would downshift dramatically in coming months.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Our only complaint with the automatic was its hesitance to downshift during spirited cornering.
—Austin Irwin, Car and Driver, 2 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for downshift 
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 4 May 2024
The trend, however, threatens to downshift the nation’s brisk economic growth.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 3 May 2024
Those sectors also drove job growth late last year, sparking forecasts of a labor market that would downshift dramatically in coming months.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Our only complaint with the automatic was its hesitance to downshift during spirited cornering.
—Austin Irwin, Car and Driver, 2 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for downshift
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downshift.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near downshift
Cite this Entry
“Downshift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downshift. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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