steep
1 of 4adjective
ˈstēp 
1
: lofty, high —used chiefly of a sea
2
: making a large angle with the plane of the horizon
3
a
: mounting or falling precipitously
the stairs were very steep
b
: being or characterized by a rapid and intensive decline or increase
4
: extremely or excessively high
steep prices
steepish
ˈstē-pish
adjective steeply adverb
steepness noun
steep
2 of 4noun (1)
: a precipitous place
steep
3 of 4verb
steeped; steeping; steeps
transitive verb
1
: to soak in a liquid at a temperature under the boiling point (as for softening, bleaching, or extracting an essence)
2
: to cover with or plunge into a liquid (as in bathing, rinsing, or soaking)
3
: to saturate with or subject thoroughly to (some strong or pervading influence)
practices steeped in tradition
intransitive verb
: to undergo the process of soaking in a liquid
steeper noun
steep
4 of 4noun (2)
1
: the state or process of being steeped
2
: a bath or solution in which something is steeped
Synonyms
Adjective
- abrupt
- bold
- precipitous
- sheer
Verb
- endue
- indue
- imbue
- inculcate
- infuse
- ingrain
- engrain
- inoculate
- invest
- suffuse
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective The stairs are very steep. a steep drop in prices The store's prices are too steep for me. Their rates are pretty steep. Verb Steep the tea for three minutes. The tea steeped for five minutes. See More
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English stepe, from Old English stēap high, steep, deep; akin to Old Frisian stāp steep, Middle High German stief — more at stoop
Verb
Middle English stepen
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (1)
1555, in the meaning defined above
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing steep
Kids Definition
steep 1 of 2
adjective
ˈstēp
steeper; steepest
1
: having a very sharp slope : almost straight up and down
a steep hill
2
: too great or high
steep prices
steep
2 of 2verb
steeped; steeping
1
: to soak in a hot liquid
steep tea
2
: to fill with or involve deeply
The lost mine was steeped in tragedy …
Jack London, The Call of the Wild
Jack London, The Call of the Wildsteeping
verb
1
as in suffusing
to cause (as a person) to become filled or saturated with a certain quality or principle grew up steeped in the ways of his ancestors a town steeped in history Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- suffusing
- infusing
- inoculating
- filling
- imbuing
- investing
- planting
- inculcating
- flooding
- invigorating
- charging
- engraining
- ingraining
- submerging
- leavening
- enlivening
- induing
- drowning
- saturating
- overwhelming
- animating
- enduing
- permeating
- pervading
- impregnating
- instilling
- implanting
- inundating
- deluging
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stripping
- emptying
- clearing
- removing
- depriving
- taking (away)
- eliminating
- divesting
2
as in soaking
to wet thoroughly with liquid chew fresh ginger that has been steeped in hot water to aid digestion Synonyms & Similar Words
- soaking
- macerating
- immersing
- saturating
- drowning
- washing
- dipping
- submerging
- drenching
- impregnating
- marinating
- sopping
- presoaking
- soddening
- sousing
- watering
- penetrating
- bathing
- moistening
- waterlogging
- swilling
- hydrating
- seething
- humidifying
- permeating
- water-soaking
- inundating
- dousing
- damping
- infiltrating
- swamping
- dowsing
- dampening
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- drying
- dehydrating
- wringing (out)
- emptying
- searing
- draining
- parching
- voiding
- desiccating
- dehumidifying