steadier; steadiest
1
a
: direct or sure in movement : unfaltering
a steady hand
b
: firm in position : fixed
held the pole steady
c
: keeping nearly upright in a seaway
a steady ship
3
a
: not easily disturbed or upset
steady nerves
b(1)
: constant in feeling, principle, purpose, or attachment
steady friends
(2)
c
: not given to dissipation : sober
steadied; steadying
: to make or keep steady
: to become steady
steadier
noun
1
: in a steady manner : steadily
2
: on the course set
—used as a direction to the helmsman of a ship
plural steadies
: one that is steady
specifically
: a boyfriend or girlfriend with whom one goes steady
Synonyms
Examples of steady in a Sentence
Adjective
She used a tripod to keep the camera steady.
Painting takes a steady hand and a good eye.
Prices have remained steady over the last month.
He finally has a steady job.
They do a steady business at the restaurant.
There has been a steady increase in prices.
I am making steady progress on refinishing the basement.
There was a steady rain all day.
We've received a steady stream of donations.
Verb
He steadied the gun and fired.
She used a tripod to steady the camera.
The doctor gave her medication to help steady her heart rate.
Her heart rate had been erratic but eventually steadied.
Prices have steadied in recent months.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
The persistence of elevated U.S. inflation complicates Biden's claims to be making steady progress against higher prices.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 11 Apr. 2024
Russia has started to make steady progress against Ukraine as Kyiv's forces face dwindling ammunition supplies, much to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s frustration.
—Peter Aitken, Fox News, 11 Apr. 2024
To help fund legal expenses in these and similar cases, Wittenberg said, the HOA took out massive loans without homeowner approval and engaged in financial maneuvering to keep HOA fees steady despite rising debt.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Since July, payrolls have held steady at management consulting services.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
In the bond market, which has been driving much of Wall Street’s action, Treasury yields held relatively steady following a mixed batch of data on inflation and the U.S. economy.
—Zimo Zhong, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024
When Western nations forced China open in 1842 after the First Opium War, the country had long maintained private enterprise, along with steady, pre-industrial technological progress.
—Evan Osborne, National Review, 9 Apr. 2024
The steady march includes hundreds of conversations with potential voters.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Apr. 2024
Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024
Still, Choi’s goal is ambitious—perhaps even noble—and belies the role she was appointed to fill: that of a caretaker CEO brought on to steady a company in turmoil.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
But the philosophy does give parents something to steady themselves while living through the havoc of helping someone else grow up.
—Kate Cray, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2024
There is ample precedent for Britain trying to steady a wavering United States in international conflicts.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2024
The decision not to reinstate Mr. Altman as OpenAI’s chief confounded efforts by investors and employees to steady the startup’s path.
—Jeffrey Dastin, Anna Tong, and Stephanie Kelly, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Nov. 2023
The man who has been brought in to ‘steady the ship’ at Brazil seems to have just done that, and more.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Related article Brides and grooms have a new place to register for wedding gifts
Overall, consumer prices have somewhat steadied since then.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024
Suddenly, the dancers throw themselves protectively around the boy as a flash of light momentarily floods the stage and the ballet winds back to the moment of death; the boy falls to the floor and the father drops to his knees, takes the boy’s hand, and steadies his gaze.
—Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Matt Ford, The New Republic, 22 Dec. 2022
Slow and steady won the race to Reba McEntire's heart.
—Brianne Tracy, Peoplemag, 19 Oct. 2022
The pivot came amid strong messages from Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) to public universities to hold college tuition steady this year to ease the impact of inflation on Virginia families.
—Susan Svrluga, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2022
Despite the slowing of sales in June, Norton said second quarter sales held steady compared to last year due to strong sales at the beginning of the quarter.
—Scott Turner | Sturner@al.com, al, 26 July 2022
The system worked great in busy traffic, staying steady around corners at 75 mph and smoothly changing lanes on its own.
—Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 10 May 2022
Jensen’s Schoenstein thinks that’s unlikely for steady-growing Microsoft.
—Anne Sraders, Fortune, 1 Dec. 2021
Like a steady-flowing river, WANs deliver continuous service, even during peak hours.
—David Joosten, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2021
Zucchini also contains magnesium, another important mineral that helps keep heart rhythm steady.
—Stefani Sassos, Ms, Rdn, Cso, Good Housekeeping, 28 Apr. 2021
Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Sep. 2023
Make sure to keep your pelvis steady and your back straight.
—Mallory Creveling, Health, 23 Feb. 2023
LeBron is living proof that to the steady goes the race.
—cleveland, 2 Feb. 2023
Lucid sold other shares to other groups, but the deal kept the PIF's overall investment in Lucid steady, at around 62 percent, according to CNBC.
—Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 30 Jan. 2023
But the Scenic Eclipse's cutting-edge oversize stabilizers held her steady.
—Christopher P. Baker, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2022
Lue has had the steady of hand of starting point guard Reggie Jackson to help steer the Clippers along with center Ivica Zubac.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2022
Keeping the price steady could help in an economy that's still dealing with the ongoing pandemic, but Xbox's strategy is less focused on selling new hardware than Sony's (SNE).
—Shannon Liao, CNN, 9 Sep. 2020
Officials voted to hold their benchmark rate steady in a range between 1.5% and 1.75% at the meeting after cutting it by a quarter percentage point at each of its previous three meetings.
—Nick Timiraos, WSJ, 3 Jan. 2020
Adjective
Undergraduate enrollment has held steady, despite demographic trends.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
The persistence of elevated U.S. inflation complicates Biden's claims to be making steady progress against higher prices.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 11 Apr. 2024
Russia has started to make steady progress against Ukraine as Kyiv's forces face dwindling ammunition supplies, much to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s frustration.
—Peter Aitken, Fox News, 11 Apr. 2024
To help fund legal expenses in these and similar cases, Wittenberg said, the HOA took out massive loans without homeowner approval and engaged in financial maneuvering to keep HOA fees steady despite rising debt.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Since July, payrolls have held steady at management consulting services.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
In the bond market, which has been driving much of Wall Street’s action, Treasury yields held relatively steady following a mixed batch of data on inflation and the U.S. economy.
—Zimo Zhong, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024
When Western nations forced China open in 1842 after the First Opium War, the country had long maintained private enterprise, along with steady, pre-industrial technological progress.
—Evan Osborne, National Review, 9 Apr. 2024
The steady march includes hundreds of conversations with potential voters.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Apr. 2024
Verb
Lastly, remember any camera can be a good camera, but there are certain pieces of equipment that can help like a tripod to steady your shots (especially in low lighting).
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024
Still, Choi’s goal is ambitious—perhaps even noble—and belies the role she was appointed to fill: that of a caretaker CEO brought on to steady a company in turmoil.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
But the philosophy does give parents something to steady themselves while living through the havoc of helping someone else grow up.
—Kate Cray, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2024
There is ample precedent for Britain trying to steady a wavering United States in international conflicts.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2024
The decision not to reinstate Mr. Altman as OpenAI’s chief confounded efforts by investors and employees to steady the startup’s path.
—Jeffrey Dastin, Anna Tong, and Stephanie Kelly, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Nov. 2023
The man who has been brought in to ‘steady the ship’ at Brazil seems to have just done that, and more.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Related article Brides and grooms have a new place to register for wedding gifts
Overall, consumer prices have somewhat steadied since then.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024
Suddenly, the dancers throw themselves protectively around the boy as a flash of light momentarily floods the stage and the ballet winds back to the moment of death; the boy falls to the floor and the father drops to his knees, takes the boy’s hand, and steadies his gaze.
—Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Adverb
There are a few different ways to measure Americans’ steady turn against the death penalty.
—Matt Ford, The New Republic, 22 Dec. 2022
Slow and steady won the race to Reba McEntire's heart.
—Brianne Tracy, Peoplemag, 19 Oct. 2022
The pivot came amid strong messages from Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) to public universities to hold college tuition steady this year to ease the impact of inflation on Virginia families.
—Susan Svrluga, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2022
Despite the slowing of sales in June, Norton said second quarter sales held steady compared to last year due to strong sales at the beginning of the quarter.
—Scott Turner | Sturner@al.com, al, 26 July 2022
The system worked great in busy traffic, staying steady around corners at 75 mph and smoothly changing lanes on its own.
—Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 10 May 2022
Jensen’s Schoenstein thinks that’s unlikely for steady-growing Microsoft.
—Anne Sraders, Fortune, 1 Dec. 2021
Like a steady-flowing river, WANs deliver continuous service, even during peak hours.
—David Joosten, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2021
Zucchini also contains magnesium, another important mineral that helps keep heart rhythm steady.
—Stefani Sassos, Ms, Rdn, Cso, Good Housekeeping, 28 Apr. 2021
Noun
The state’s biggest health system had unrivaled clout with doctors and insurers, guaranteeing a steady of flow of patients.
—Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Sep. 2023
Make sure to keep your pelvis steady and your back straight.
—Mallory Creveling, Health, 23 Feb. 2023
LeBron is living proof that to the steady goes the race.
—cleveland, 2 Feb. 2023
Lucid sold other shares to other groups, but the deal kept the PIF's overall investment in Lucid steady, at around 62 percent, according to CNBC.
—Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 30 Jan. 2023
But the Scenic Eclipse's cutting-edge oversize stabilizers held her steady.
—Christopher P. Baker, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2022
Lue has had the steady of hand of starting point guard Reggie Jackson to help steer the Clippers along with center Ivica Zubac.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2022
Keeping the price steady could help in an economy that's still dealing with the ongoing pandemic, but Xbox's strategy is less focused on selling new hardware than Sony's (SNE).
—Shannon Liao, CNN, 9 Sep. 2020
Officials voted to hold their benchmark rate steady in a range between 1.5% and 1.75% at the meeting after cutting it by a quarter percentage point at each of its previous three meetings.
—Nick Timiraos, WSJ, 3 Jan. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'steady.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English stedy, from stede
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Adverb
circa 1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1792, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of steady was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing steady
Dictionary Entries Near steady
Cite this Entry
“Steady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steady. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
steady
1 of 4 adjective
steadier; steadiest
1
a
: firm in position : fixed
b
: direct or sure in movement
took steady aim
2
a
: regular entry 1 sense 3, uniform
a steady pace
b
: not changing much : stable
steady prices
3
a
: not easily moved or upset : resolute
b
: constant in feeling, principle, purpose, or attachment : dependable
steady
2 of 4 verb
steadied; steadying
: to make, keep, or become steady
steady
3 of 4 adverb
: in a steady manner : steadily
steady
4 of 4 noun
plural steadies
: one that is steady
especially
: a boyfriend or girlfriend with whom one goes steady
More from Merriam-Webster on steady
Nglish: Translation of steady for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of steady for Arabic Speakers
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