Gadolinium ($\mathrm{Gd}$), a heavy rare-earth metal with a well-defined second-order magnetic transition near room temperature, serves as a benchmark for magnetocaloric materials. Extensive research on $\mathrm{Gd}$-based magnetocaloric materials has revealed an inherent inverse relationship between the breadth of the operating temperature range and the magnitude of the magnetic entropy change, thereby constraining further enhancement of the relative cooling power ($p_{\mathrm{RC}}$). Here, we report a pronounced enhancement of the $p_{\mathrm{RC}}$ of bulk polycrystalline $\mathrm{Gd}$ through high-pressure constrained deformation. Under applied stress, the easy magnetization axis [00l] of $\mathrm{Gd}$ gradually aligns toward the direction of the stress, promoting more efficient magnetic alignment. Simultaneously, grain refinement broadens the magnetic entropy change −Δ$S_M$(T) curve, extending the operational temperature window and boosting overall cooling capacity. At a magnetic field strength ${\text{μ}}_0$ΔH = 1.2 T, the value of $p_{\mathrm{RC}}$ increased from 90.42 to 121.05 J/kg, representing a 33.9% improvement. Our strategy provides an easy way to enhance the cooling ability compared with traditional methods such as alloying, coating, and element doping, and may provide fresh ideas for exploring advanced magnetocaloric materials.

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• Crystal structure
• Energy materials
• Magnetic refrigeration
• Magnetocaloric effect
• Metals
• Rare-earth magnetic materials
• Pressure techniques
• Strain engineering