steady
Americanadjective
-
steadier,
comparative
-
steadiest
superlative
-
firmly placed or fixed; stable in position or equilibrium.
a steady ladder.
- Synonyms:
- firm
-
even or regular in movement.
the steady swing of the pendulum.
-
free from change, variation, or interruption; uniform; continuous.
a steady diet of meat and potatoes;
a steady wind.
- Synonyms:
- invariable
-
constant, regular, or habitual.
a steady job.
-
free from excitement or agitation; calm.
steady nerves.
-
unfaltering; firm.
a steady gaze;
a steady hand.
-
steadfast or unwavering; resolute.
a steady purpose.
-
settled, staid, or sober, as a person, habits, etc.
-
Nautical. (of a vessel) keeping nearly upright, as in a heavy sea.
interjection
-
(used to urge someone to calm down or be under control.)
-
Nautical. (a helm order to keep a vessel steady on its present heading.)
noun
-
steadies
plural
-
Informal. a person whom one dates exclusively; sweetheart.
-
Informal. a steady visitor, customer, or the like; habitué.
verb (used with object)
-
steadies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
steadied,
past participle, past
-
steadying
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
steadies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
steadied,
past participle, past
-
steadying
present participle
adverb
-
in a firm or steady manner.
Hold the ladder steady.
-
Informal. steadily, regularly, or continuously.
Is she working steady now?
idioms
adjective
-
not able to be moved or disturbed easily; stable
-
free from fluctuation
the level stayed steady
-
not easily excited; imperturbable
-
staid; sober
-
regular; habitual
a steady drinker
-
continuous
a steady flow
-
nautical (of a vessel) keeping upright, as in heavy seas
verb
adverb
-
in a steady manner
-
informal to date one person regularly
noun
interjection
-
nautical an order to the helmsman to stay on a steady course
-
a warning to keep calm, be careful, etc
-
a command to get set to start, as in a race
ready, steady, go!
Synonym Usage
See steadfast.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Adjectives
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
steadysimple
-
steadiessimple
-
have steadiedperfect
-
has steadiedperfect
-
am steadyingprogressive
-
are steadyingprogressive
-
is steadyingprogressive
-
have been steadyingperfect progressive
-
has been steadyingperfect progressive
Past
-
steadiedsimple
-
had steadiedperfect
-
was steadyingprogressive
-
were steadyingprogressive
-
had been steadyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of steady
First recorded in 1520–30; 1905–10 steady for def. 12; stead + -y 1
Explanation
The adjective steady describes something that is firmly fixed in position. If you have to climb up on your roof, you definitely want to have a steady ladder. Otherwise, you risk ending up in the bushes instead of on the roof. The adjective steady can also describe something that isn't going to fluctuate wildly. If you have a steady income from a salary, you bring in approximately the same amount of money each month. If you are paid on commission, on the other hand, you may make Midas look poor in some months and beggars look rich in others. As a verb, to steady means "to make something steady" (big surprise): You can steady a wobbly table by sticking a matchbook under its shortest leg, or you could steady a nervous dog with a reassuring pat.
Vocabulary lists containing steady
"O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman
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"The Drummer Boy of Shiloh"
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Purple Hibiscus
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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.
See Examples For:
The plan has drawn a steady stream of criticism as broader concerns mount over the mayor’s relationship with the business world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
But in the last three years, the Altadena resident hasn’t been able to find a steady job in post-production.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
The steady checks from the university took the pressure off my pages as they championed my books with launch events in their auditoriums, sharing good reviews on their vast website.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026
Without a large increase in rotation after each encounter, the time required for the stripped material to fall back toward the black hole remains relatively steady.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
Still, next morning, when the sun is fully risen, when the wagon’s rolling, its steady rhythm lulling, I ask: “How’d you meet Ma?”
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
In the foreground, the midwife, known from Byzantine tradition as Salome, meets Joseph’s eyes as she steadies the water he pours into the baby’s bathtub.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 26, 2025
The quiet, practiced awareness of how flavors talk to one another — the way lemon steadies cream or how a drizzle of honey can round off a salt edge.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2025
The ball is worked through to Aaron Collins, who steadies himself and unleashes a thunderbolt from 25 yards into the top corner.
From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2024
The Beavers fell five spots last week after their 27-24 loss at Arizona, but winning in Boulder steadies them this week.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 4, 2023
She steadies herself against the whorled bird’s-eye maple console table in our foyer, my parents’ first flea market find as a couple, years before they had me.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
Then cinematographers Evan Draper and Jazleana Jones along with Ullom, who also edits, take a steadier hand with evocative montages that emphasize the passage of time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
"I sincerely hope he proves those concerns unfounded, because the Intelligence Community deserves steadier leadership than it has received in recent months," Warner said in his statement.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
"I sincerely hope he proves those concerns unfounded, because the Intelligence Community deserves steadier leadership than it has received in recent months," Warner said in a statement after the vote.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Apple has shown a steadier upward trajectory, driven by investor confidence that its dominant consumer position can solve most problems.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Wind abating; seas still terrific, but feel them less, as ship is steadier.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
Among lower-yielding currencies, the team sees CNY as the steadiest, KRW as the highest-beta currency, and SGD as a funder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025
The remittance tax could squeeze Indian household budgets, dampen consumption and investment, and undermine one of India's steadiest sources of foreign exchange, warns a brief by the Delhi-based Centre for WTO Studies.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2025
But the significance of Lynn’s decision last November isn’t lost on Riley, whose defense has been the steadiest part of the Trojans’ rocky season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2024
The payments for publishing these notices are among the steadiest sources of revenue left for local papers.
From New York Times ● Jun. 18, 2023
The steadiest thing in Kelley’s life was their pets, and he decided early on he wanted to be a veterinarian.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
Yields on global government bonds steadied while the dollar traded near three-month lows in early European trade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Yamamoto’s consistency has steadied the Dodgers’ rotation, while it’s had to navigate injuries to veteran starters Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and most recently Shohei Ohtani.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
Captain Gaby Lewis fell cheaply in reply, but Amy Hunter steadied the chase with a stand of 62 with Prendergast.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
Eurozone households’ inflation expectations for the next 12 months steadied at 4% in April, much higher than before the Middle East conflict.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026
His breathing was shaky, but when Jam joined him, it steadied a little, and eventually he sat upright, his hands knotted together against his thighs.
From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi
Then, it’s time to talk about the “crack spread”—aka the reason we aren’t seeing relief at the gas stations despite steadying oil prices.
From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2026
U.S. natural gas futures were lower but steadying after yesterday’s retreat on profit-taking, with the market seeing support in warmer weather moving deeper into June.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
It was "as if someone was moving through and steadying themselves".
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
By Sunday, it becomes something quieter: nourishment for the week ahead, a small, steadying balm against the Sunday scaries.
From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2026
Taisin put her arm around Kaede, steadying her.
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
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.
