: a mechanism by which the transmission gears in a power-transmission system are engaged and disengaged
also: a lever for controlling such a mechanism
2
: the functioning of a gearshift mechanism : the act or an instance of shifting gears
A new, eight-speed automatic transmission makes gear shifts based in part on g-forces that the car encounters during spirited driving.—👁 Image Ann M. Job
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My tester had a pushbutton gearshift setup sandwiched between upper and lower screens full of icons.—👁 Image Josh Max, Forbes.com, 27 Feb. 2026 There’s a flicker of nerves before deploying the Tremec five-speed manual gearshift and the dread of stalling out at pit lane in front of a gallery of onlookers.—👁 Image Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026 There are several such examples in this week’s mesmerizing gearshift of an episode, but consider Carol’s updating of Helen’s burial site in her backyard.—👁 Image Scott Tobias, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025 Renshaw slammed the gearshift, rocked back and forth, and eventually clawed her way out.—👁 Image Molly Parker, ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gearshift
