to bring pressure to bear
1
6.0
- phrasal verb
- Formal
:
ejercer presión
- We can bring pressure to bear on corporations.
- States bring pressure to bear
We can bring pressure to bear on corporations.
- We can bring pressure to bear on corporations.
Examples
-
Nevertheless, the increasing numbers of local anti-apartheid organizations in Western Europe and the United States continued to bring pressure to bear on the problem.
Academic text (1992) -
Professor Goebel's friends brought pressure to bear on the Trustees to reinstate him, but the Trustees replied that as the President under the trust had full power to remove all professors, they could not take cognizance of the matter.
Academic text (2003) -
In each country, the legal system and culture play a role in bringing pressure to bear on these prurient publishers.
Blog text (29) -
Nonetheless, these types of movements, beleaguered though they may be, have managed to form alliances within the national political context and with international environmental groups to bring pressure to bear at many levels.
Academic text (1993) -
We are overextending our commitments at a time when our resolve, our intelligent understanding of the region, and our resources are insufficient to bring pressure to bear even on our allies, not to speak of our rivals and actual enemies.
Academic text (2000) -
Once released to the public, it is up to the submitters or the citizens of the region to bring pressure to bear on their governments through existing democratic institutions to encourage any action that addresses issues raised in the submission and the factual record.
Academic text (1998) -
I also hope that federal authorities feel compelled to bring pressure to bear on behalf of Holland emigrants against unscrupulous agents and steamship companies.
Academic text (1993) -
Haass's comments did not appear to hold out any hope that the United States would bring pressure to bear on India to end "state terrorism" in Kashmir or that the United States would actively mediate the Kashmir dispute.
Academic text (2003) -
Activists are planning to bring pressure to bear on the government to address climate change.
-
To improve workplace conditions, employees decided to bring pressure to bear on their employer.
Synonyms
∞
2.3
To make someone do something by using power or pressure
∞
3.6
To cause someone to want to do something strongly
∞
2.7
Make someone believe something is true or agree to do something
958
1.1
To urge someone to do something or try harder
591
3.2
To strongly encourage someone to do something
472
2.7
To make someone agree or do something by giving reasons
285
3.9
Ask someone firmly and repeatedly to do something
258
4.8
Force someone to do something or make them feel they must
91
6.4
Force someone to do something by threats
58
4.3
Use power or influence to make something happen
51
4.9
Persuade someone to do something
31
5.1
To use effort or knowledge to solve a problem
26
4.2
Make a situation more urgent to force someone to act
24
4.1
To gently encourage someone to try something new
23
6.7
To persuade someone to do something after repeated effort
18
3.0
Make someone think differently about something
16
7.7
To strongly encourage someone to do something
15
7.7
To persuade someone to do something by gentle talk and praise
12
8.1
Make someone do what they promised or take responsibility by pressuring them
4
7.2
To make someone feel they must do something, often because of pressure or need
4
7.7
To persuade someone who does not want to do something to do it
3
3.6
To cause someone to change their mind
1
3.9
To try to make someone change what they do by making them feel more stress
1
4.4
Get someone to agree or do something by pressuring them
1
4.4
To give someone more stress to make them change their mind
1
7.9
Talk strongly to someone to try to persuade them
1
7.5
To put more pressure on someone so they do what you want
Persuade someone to do what you want
To persuade someone to accept your idea or plan
How Pressured
987
3.3
- Offensive
91
6.4
- Formal
1
6.0
591
3.2
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The overall meaning is largely compositional: 'bring' (cause/put) + 'pressure' (influence/coercion) suggests causing influence, and 'to bear' here means 'to apply' or 'direct' that influence. However, the verb 'bear' in this applicative sense (as in 'bear on/upon') is somewhat idiomatic and may not be immediately obvious to a B1 learner, so the relation is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Bring pressure to bear comes from the image of putting weight or force on something: to bring heavy pressure and bear it down, like people pushing on a stuck door until it opens. So to 'bring pressure to bear' now means to use influence or force to make someone change their mind.