steadfast
Americanadjective
-
fixed in direction; steadily directed.
a steadfast gaze.
-
firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment, etc., as a person.
a steadfast friend.
- Synonyms:
- constant, reliable, dependable, sure
- Antonyms:
- variable, capricious
-
unwavering, as resolution, faith, adherence, etc.
-
firmly established, as an institution or a state of affairs.
- Synonyms:
- stable
-
firmly fixed in place or position.
- Synonyms:
- stable
adjective
-
(esp of a person's gaze) fixed in intensity or direction; steady
-
unwavering or determined in purpose, loyalty, etc
steadfast resolve
Synonym Usage
Steadfast, staunch, steady imply a sureness and continuousness that may be depended upon. Steadfast literally means fixed in place, but is chiefly used figuratively to indicate undeviating constancy or resolution: steadfast in one's faith. Staunch literally means watertight, as of a vessel, and therefore strong and firm; figuratively, it is used of loyal support that will endure strain: a staunch advocate of free trade. Literally, steady is applied to that which is relatively firm in position or continuous in movement or duration: a steady flow; figuratively, it implies sober regularity or persistence: a steady worker.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of steadfast
First recorded before 1000; Middle English stedefast, Old English stedefæst; see stead, fast 1
Explanation
Someone who is firm and determined in a belief or a position can be called steadfast in that view, like your mom when she thinks you really shouldn’t wear that outfit. The word steadfast traces back to the Old English word stedefæst, a combination of stede, meaning "place," and fæst, meaning "firmly fixed." Picture a steadfast person standing firmly in place, not wavering or budging an inch, and you’ll have a good sense of what this word means. Someone can be steadfast in a belief, an effort, a plan, or even a refusal. Whatever it is, it means that the person will calmly hold firm to the chosen position and follow through with determination.
Vocabulary lists containing steadfast
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The AI build-out has emerged as one of the U.S. economy’s steadfast sources of growth, a tentpole for the global capital markets and the primary battleground in America’s ongoing technology arms race with China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
In one email exchange from 2011, she appeared to privately apologise for her public rejection of Epstein, saying: "You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family."
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
The Swiss president Guy Parmelin wrote on X that Harald "will be remembered for his steadfast leadership and devoted service to his country."
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
As always, Parton led with a message of steadfast reverence for her fellow humans.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026
I knew Horatio to be steadfast and incorruptible, the unmoving center of a world that turned unpredictably.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
