brought to bear
Directed toward target
Brought to bear means applied or directed toward a purpose, especially when concentrating force, pressure, or influence on a problem or situation.
The phrase implies marshaling resources and focusing them effectively: She brought all her expertise to bear on the project, Political pressure was brought to bear on the committee.
The expression derives from aiming artillery.
- appliedPut into practice
- put into actionBegin doing something planned
- exertPut into active use
- usedAlready been employed
- full forceComplete power applied
wield · mobilize · employ · invoke · call upon · mustered · deploy · pressure · harness · force of will · compel · marshaled · implement · leverage · utilize · concentrated · focused attention · approach
brought to bearwithheld
Kept from giving
held back · squandered · misdirected · wasted · kept back
brought to bearscattered
Spread irregularly about
diffused · dispersed · dissipated · spread thin · diluted
brought to bearwithdrawn
Emotionally distant, disengaged
withheld · held back · pulled back · disengaged · retracted
bear, brought, brings, bears, bearing, bearer, bearable, unbearable, forbear