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Synonyms

steamer

American  
[stee-mer] / ˈsti mər /

noun

  • steamers
    plural
  1. something propelled or operated by steam, as a steamship.

  2. a person or thing that steams.

  3. a device, pot, or container in which something is steamed.

  4. soft-shell clam.


verb (used without object)

  1. to travel by steamship.

steamer British  
/ ˈstiːmə /

noun

  1. a boat or ship driven by steam engines

  2. Also called: steam box.  an apparatus for steaming wooden beams and planks to make them pliable for shipbuilding

  3. a vessel used to cook food by steam

  4. slang a clash of sporting teams characterized by rough play

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of steamer

First recorded in 1805–15; steam + -er 1

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:

Synear Foods’ pork-and-mushroom shumai, sold at Costco and H Mart, can go straight from the freezer to the steamer and be served right in the basket.

From Salon Jul. 12, 2026

These are foam or gel-filled toys of various brands shaped like bao buns, and sometimes sold in plastic replicas of bamboo steamer baskets.

From Barron's Jun. 5, 2026

He was chased down as a fugitive aboard a Turkish steamer, returned to the U.S. for trial—and acquitted.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 6, 2026

He left behind a massive steamer trunk full of manuscripts, many of which were attributed to artists not named Fernando Pessoa.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 30, 2026

Our silverware has descended to the steamer trunk.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Portable steamers are cheap and easy to use.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 15, 2026

Pamper them with 100% natural aromatherapy shower steamers from Wenatchee that slowly fizz and release essential oils to relax and rejuvenate.

From Seattle Times Nov. 16, 2023

For the past 20 years she has instead worked maintaining electrical items, such as water purifiers and clothes steamers, in people's homes.

From BBC Dec. 14, 2022

Posters advertising the sales showed steamers merrily plying the imagined waters of the river.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 13, 2022

She drenched it in rich, creamy conditioners, and sat under steamers until water droplets ran down her neck.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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