# gear towards

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gear-towards
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to design or organize something so that it is suitable for a specific group of people or a particular purpose.

For teachers: to adjust, adapt, or prepare something to meet the specific requirements or interests of a particular audience or goal; typically used in the passive voice.

## Examples

- The course is geared towards beginners.
- The new marketing campaign is specifically geared towards young professionals living in urban areas.
- While the initial research was broad, the final report was geared towards providing actionable insights for the executive board.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The book gears towards children." but "The book is geared towards children." — this phrase is almost always used in the passive voice to describe the intended purpose of an object or program.

## Usage notes

- most commonly used in the passive voice ('be geared towards') followed by a noun or a gerund.
- Teaching tip: point out that 'towards' and 'to' are both acceptable, though 'towards' is more frequent in this phrasal construction; contrast with 'aimed at'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.