steer

1
as in to guide
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front the man in the train station was able to steer us in the right direction

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to pilot
to operate or control the course of first needed to learn how to steer her personal watercraft before going out on the crowded lake

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb steer contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of steer are engineer, guide, lead, and pilot. While all these words mean "to direct in a course or show the way to be followed," steer implies an ability to keep to a course and stresses the capacity of maneuvering correctly.

steered the ship through a narrow channel

When is engineer a more appropriate choice than steer?

Although the words engineer and steer have much in common, engineer implies finding ways to avoid or overcome difficulties in achieving an end or carrying out a plan.

engineered his son's election to the governorship

In what contexts can guide take the place of steer?

While the synonyms guide and steer are close in meaning, guide implies intimate knowledge of the way and of all its difficulties and dangers.

guided the scouts through the cave

Where would lead be a reasonable alternative to steer?

The synonyms lead and steer are sometimes interchangeable, but lead implies showing the way and often keeping those that follow under control and in order.

led his team to victory

When can pilot be used instead of steer?

The words pilot and steer can be used in similar contexts, but pilot suggests guidance over a dangerous or complicated course.

piloted the bill through the Senate

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of steer Police have worked with both the brewery and mosque to find a solution, King Jugg has offered shuttles from remote parking and the mosque has tried to steer overflow visitors to a nearby parking lot — but none have eased the problem. John Tuohy, IndyStar, 23 July 2025 This level of confidence from Oakley is helping steer their vision of the future with the help of innovators like Meta AI, Axiom Space, and Travis Scott. Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025 The more plausible option is development on the Gulf side, which could be steered westward along the northern Gulf Coast, the weather forecast company stated. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 12 July 2025 There is also a neutral setting between forward and reverse that lets the watercraft drift, a nice change from the old days of not being able to steer at all if there was no thrust. Jeremy Korzeniewski, Robb Report, 12 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for steer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steer
Verb
  • Let the repeats guide readers’ attention, especially in moments when emotions are building.
    Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • System prompts The system prompt – instructions provided before every conversation – guides behaviour once the model is deployed.
    CBS News, CBS News, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • In Thursday’s premiere, Pike managed to pilot the Enterprise to safety in a deadly battle against the Gorn while his love interest Marie Batel struggled to survive with a life-threatening Gorn infection.
    Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 17 July 2025
  • The Rehearsal season two, which saw Fielder apply his particular blend of social engineering to the problem of preventing airline crashes, involved a late-stage turn revealing that the comedian actually learned how to pilot a 737 as part of the process.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Those strengths were often neutralized while leading a veteran Phillies team as the organization tried to stave off an ultimately unavoidable rebuild.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025
  • The Enquirer asked Messer Construction, the company leading the project, about the yellow that now coats parts of where the metal panels are supposed to be.
    Sydney Franklin, The Enquirer, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • More: Great Lakes tribes’ knowledge of nature could be key to navigating climate change.
    Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • Yet many colleges still lack tailored resources for student-parents, leaving them to navigate a system that wasn’t built for them.
    Rita Raichoudhuri, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • South Asia brings six projects, including three directed by women and two from Bangladesh, underscoring the growing influence of South Asian female directors and the resurgence of Bangladeshi cinema.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 July 2025
  • Authentic Indian Collaboration, Not Cultural Appropriation Shot in Mumbai and creatively directed by Indiana Vos, Songs of Siren's latest campaign serves as a vibrant love letter to India's rich textile traditions.
    Pooja Shah, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • Mom Denise Antoon reflects on Butler and Marino, the latter of whom several participants accuse of having tried to hijack the Lifetime series, in an emotional segment in the documentary.
    Raven Brunner, People.com, 23 July 2025
  • There’s no pretending otherwise: disgraced and deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein has hijacked Washington.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • This was accompanied by Osbourne's debut solo single, Crazy Train, which was released in 1987.
    Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
  • Youths under 18 must be accompanied by an adult after 6 p.m., with some exceptions.
    Belinda M. Paschal, The Enquirer, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • Letterman, who retired after helming the talk show for 22 years, had a loyal audience.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
  • Berger helmed the film from a script by Rowan Joffe that is based on Osborne’s book.
    Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Steer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steer. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.

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