- (of a slope, hill, etc.) rising or falling quickly, not gradually
- a steep hill/slope
- a steep climb/descent/drop
- a steep flight of stairs
- The path grew steeper as we climbed higher.
- The steep banks of the river are largely tree-covered.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- look
- seem
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- [usually before noun] (of a rise or fall in an amount) sudden and very big synonym sharp
- a steep decline in the birth rate
- a steep rise in unemployment
- Setting up a new business is risky and involves a steep learning curve.
- (informal) (of a price or demand) too much; unreasonable synonym expensive
- £4 for a cup of coffee seems a little steep to me.
- He wants to move in here with us? That’s a bit steep!
Word Originadjective Old English stēap ‘extending to a great height’, of West Germanic origin; related to steeple and the verb stoop.
Check pronunciation:
steep