steadily

American  

[sted-i-lee] / ˈstɛd ɪ li /

adverb

1. in a way that moves constantly and at an even pace or in the same direction.

   My dedication and commitment to teaching are proven by my steadily increasing student evaluation scores.

   Despite numerous legislative attempts to constrain spending over the past 40 years, the deficit problem has marched steadily on.

2. in a continuous, uniform way.

   It rained steadily all day yesterday and by evening the river was almost overflowing.

3. in a calm, fixed, or unwavering way.

   He just stood there, holding his ground and gazing steadily at her, into those dark eyes.

4. in a firm, stable way.

   Binoculars with larger magnification tend to be overly bulky and difficult to hold steadily.

5. in a determined, persevering, or resolute way.

   She told him, “Seek peace of mind and hold steadily to your faith.”

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Other Word Forms

• oversteadily adverb

Etymology

Origin of steadily

steady ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Restaurant sales have risen 4.5% in the 12 months — an increase conducive with a steadily expanding economy.

From MarketWatch

The time it takes those applicants to obtain building permits has steadily grown from a median of 127 days in December, when The Times first calculated the figure, to 155 days currently.

From Los Angeles Times

"Within the symbiosis project, we've been steadily sequencing genomes for several years, but several key gaps remained. In this study, we were able to fill these missing puzzle pieces," confirms Sanchez.

From Science Daily

From its origins as a rudimentary headcount under colonial rule, India's census questionnaire has steadily expanded in scope, mirroring the state's changing priorities.

From BBC

Before long she had twenty plate-sized pieces for the party, while steadily keeping up with the orders that were pouring in.

From Literature

Related Words

• regularly