steep, abrupt, precipitous, sheer mean having an incline approaching the perpendicular. steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult.

There has been a steep increase / rise in prices. She scrambled up the steep hillside and over the rocks. There's a very steep slope just before you reach the top of the mountain. I had to climb …

To undergo a soaking in liquid: Let the tea steep for five minutes. n. 1. a. The act or process of steeping.

to soak in water or other liquid, as to soften, cleanse, or extract some constituent: to steep tea in boiling-hot water; to steep reeds for basket weaving. to wet thoroughly in or with a liquid;

There are 23 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word steep, 11 of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Oct 14, 2025 · steep (plural steeps) The steep side of a mountain etc.; a slope or acclivity. quotations

Sep 11, 2025 · Steep refers to having a sharp inclination; rising or falling sharply, not gradual. e.g., The trail became steep and challenging as they climbed higher.

Steep definition: having an almost vertical slope or pitch, or a relatively high gradient, as a hill, an ascent, stairs, etc.. See examples of STEEP used in a sentence.

Steep definition: Having a sharp inclination; precipitous.

Find 547 different ways to say STEEP, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.