understeer

American

[uhn-der-steer, uhn-der-steer] / ˈʌn dərˌstɪər, ˌʌn dərˈstɪər /

noun

a handling characteristic of an automotive vehicle that causes it to turn less sharply than the driver intends because the front wheels slide to the outside of the turn before the rear wheels lose traction.

verb (used without object)

(of an automotive vehicle) to undergo understeer, especially excessively.

understeer British

/ ˈʌndəˌstɪə /

verb

(of a vehicle) to turn less sharply, for a particular movement of the steering wheel, than anticipated

"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

Etymology

Origin of understeer

First recorded in 1935–40; under- + steer 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.

You can feel the vectored torque tugging at the wheel as it fights off understeer in a tight turn.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

"I just had a bit of understeer and was going to go off so I had to abort," said Norris.

From Barron's • Nov. 29, 2025

Should I use precious column inches teasing out the scrubby understeer of a Toyota Sienna minivan?

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

At times it's also my worst nightmare, understeer.

From BBC • Oct. 4, 2025

Verstappen complained of understeer during the session and ended it 0.334secs off the pace.

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023