Thesaurus

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

- a steep hill
- a steep dive

abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level.

- a beach with an abrupt drop-off

precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical.

- the river winds through a precipitous gorge

sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse.

- sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers

steep

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of steep

1 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 of steep

endue (or indue), imbue, inculcate, infuse, ingrain (also engrain), inoculate, invest, suffuse

Words Related to steep

animate, charge, enliven, invigorate, leaven

implant, instill, plant

impregnate, permeate, pervade, saturate

deluge, drown, fill, flood, inundate, overwhelm, submerge

Near Antonyms of steep

deprive, divest, strip

clear, empty

eliminate, remove, take away

2 to wet thoroughly with liquid

chew fresh ginger that has been steeped in hot water to aid digestion

Synonyms of steep

drench, drown, impregnate, macerate, saturate, soak, sodden, sop, souse

Words Related to steep

waterlog, water-soak

marinate, seethe

presoak

dip, immerse, inundate, submerge, swamp

bathe, douse (also dowse), hydrate, swill, wash, water

infiltrate, penetrate, permeate

damp, dampen, humidify, moisten

Near Antonyms of steep

dehydrate, desiccate, dry, parch, sear

drain, empty, void

dehumidify

Antonyms of steep

wring (out)

Synonym Discussion of steep

soak, saturate, drench, steep, impregnate mean to permeate or be permeated with a liquid. soak implies usually prolonged immersion as for softening or cleansing.

- soak the garment in soapy water

saturate implies a resulting effect of complete absorption until no more liquid can be held.

- a saturated sponge

drench implies a thorough wetting by something that pours down or is poured.

- clothes drenched by a cloudburst

steep suggests either the extraction of an essence (as of tea leaves) by the liquid or the imparting of a quality (such as a color) to the thing immersed.