downshifting

/ˈdaʊnˌʃɪftɪŋ/
noun
  1. The practice of simplifying one's lifestyle, often by reducing income, spending less, and focusing on personal fulfillment rather than material wealth or career advancement.
    • He wrote a book about downshifting and how to live happily with less money.
    • Downshifting has become popular among people who want to reduce stress and enjoy life more.
    • After years of working long hours, she embraced downshifting and moved to a small town.
  2. The act of changing a vehicle to a lower gear, especially to slow down or gain more power.
    • He practiced downshifting smoothly to avoid jerking the car.
    • The truck's downshifting created a loud engine noise as it climbed the mountain road.
    • Downshifting helps the driver maintain control when going down a steep hill.
Synonyms
verb
  1. To simplify one's lifestyle by reducing work hours, spending, or material commitments.
    • They decided to downshift and sell their large house for a smaller apartment.
    • Many professionals downshift in their 50s to enjoy more free time.
    • She downshifted from a high-paying job to a part-time teaching position.
  2. To change a vehicle to a lower gear.
    • You should downshift before entering a sharp curve.
    • The driver downshifted to climb the hill more easily.
    • He downshifted to second gear as the traffic slowed.
What does "downshifting" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean