steerage

noun

steer·​age ˈstir-ij 

1

: the act or practice of steering

broadly : direction

2

[from its originally being located near the rudder] : a section of inferior accommodations in a passenger ship for passengers paying the lowest fares

Examples of steerage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The date stood out to Browning, who’d lost thousands in anticipated shillings when 584 steerage and 253 second-class passengers chose drowning in a Canadian river over registering at one of his boarding houses near the port of Liverpool. — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Carnegie came over in steerage and poured the steel that became our skylines. — Anthony Scaramucci, Fortune, 28 June 2026

If Miranda Priestly can get thrown in steerage, we’re all screwed. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026

The 99% are the steerage class. — Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for steerage

• peerage
• arrearage

Kids Definition

steerage

noun

steer·​age ˈsti(ə)r-ij 

1

: the act or practice of steering

also : direction sense 1

2

: a section in a passenger ship for passengers paying the lowest fares