steady
steady — adjective
1. happening at a slow but regular pace, with no sudden jumps or pauses — for examp
happening at a slow but regular pace, with no sudden jumps or pauses — for example, a steady rise in temperature, a steady flow of visitors, or steady progress in learning a new skill.
Tourist numbers visiting the island have seen a steady increase over five years.
collocation: steady increase
Noor kept up a steady pace while running, finishing the race in a good time.
A steady stream of customers entered the bakery all morning.
collocation: steady stream of
Wei was happy to see steady progress in his Mandarin pronunciation after months of practice.
The company reported steady growth in sales for the third quarter.
collocation: steady growth
- steady increase
- steady decline
- steady flow
- steady stream
- steady pace
- steady progress
- steady growth
- steady improvement
- gradual
focuses on slowness rather than regularity
- consistent
emphasises lack of contradiction or variation
- uniform
suggests evenness across every part, often more formal
Usage Note
Frequently modifies nouns like increase, decline, flow, stream, pace, progress, and growth. Often used with economic or statistical data.
Common Mistakes
2. firmly held or positioned so that nothing shakes, wobbles, or falls; not likely
firmly held or positioned so that nothing shakes, wobbles, or falls; not likely to tip over or lose balance.
The ladder did not feel steady, so Aarav asked his brother to hold the bottom.
subject is a physical object; 'hold steady' pattern
João kept his hand steady while the doctor stitched the cut on his arm.
Make sure the table legs are steady before you put the heavy vase on it.
The old wooden chair was not steady enough for Luca to stand on.
Mayumi needed a steady surface to write her calligraphy properly.
collocation: steady surface
- steady hand
- steady surface
- hold steady
- keep steady
- steady table
- steady ladder
Usage Note
Commonly used with nouns for physical objects: ladder, hand, table, surface, chair, boat. The opposite sense (unsteady) is frequent with elderly people or injured body parts.
Common Mistakes
3. describes a job or income that you can count on to last for many years, giving y
describes a job or income that you can count on to last for many years, giving you a regular paycheck and no fear of sudden loss.
After years of short-term contracts, Eli finally found a steady job at the hospital.
collocation: steady job
The fisherman had a steady income from selling his catch at the weekly market.
collocation: steady income
Obi turned down the freelance offer because he needed steady work to support his family.
collocation: steady work
Élise was relieved to have a steady source of income after graduating from nursing school.
The factory has provided steady employment for three generations of the same family.
collocation: steady employment
- steady job
- steady work
- steady income
- steady employment
- steady source of income
Usage Note
Almost always appears before nouns like job, work, income, employment, or source of income. Not used predicatively in this sense (❌ 'His job is steady').
Common Mistakes
4. able to stay calm and in control of your emotions or reactions, especially when
able to stay calm and in control of your emotions or reactions, especially when facing stress, danger, or pressure.
The pilot's steady voice over the radio helped reassure the passengers during the storm.
collocation: steady voice
Jenna took a breath and fixed her eyes on the target with a steady gaze.
collocation: steady gaze / steady eyes
The surgeon's hands remained steady throughout the long and complex operation.
When the fire alarm went off, the teacher stayed steady and guided the children out.
A steady patient usually recovers faster because they do not panic about every small symptom.
- steady voice
- steady gaze
- steady eyes
- steady nerves
- steady hands
- remain steady
- stay steady
- calm
focuses more on the absence of agitation than on control
- composed
more formal; suggests deliberate self-control
- unflappable
informal; describes someone who never gets upset, even in chaos
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 5 (RELIABLE): this sense focuses on emotional composure in the moment, while sense 5 describes a person's general character as trustworthy over time. 'Steady nerves' is a very common collocation.
Common Mistakes
5. sensible and dependable in character, so that other people trust your judgment a
sensible and dependable in character, so that other people trust your judgment and know you will act responsibly over time.
Luca is a steady friend who always listens without judging and keeps his promises.
collocation: steady friend
The board chose the most steady candidate for the finance director position.
Ada's steady advice helped the younger students decide which courses to choose.
collocation: steady advice
Matthew needed a steady partner for the business, someone who would not take foolish risks.
The team relied on Noor's steady judgment during the difficult negotiations with the client.
collocation: steady judgment
- steady friend
- steady partner
- steady judgment
- steady advice
- steady character
- steady influence
- reliable
broader; can apply to people, machines, and information
- dependable
very similar; emphasises that someone can be counted on
- level-headed
more informal; describes someone who stays rational under pressure
- unreliable
describes someone who cannot be trusted to do what they say
- flighty
informal; describes someone who changes their mind or mood quickly
Usage Note
Applies to people and their qualities (friend, partner, judgment, advice), not to objects or systems. When applied to relationships, it suggests loyalty and consistency rather than emotional composure (sense 4).
Common Mistakes
ready, steady, go!
idiomThis phrase is used to start a race or a competition.
The coach shouted "Ready, steady, go!" and the runners started.
Mia whispered "Ready, steady, go!" before they began the quiz.
This describes someone or something that is very stable and dependable.
Diego's friendship is as steady as a rock; he never lets me down.
Despite the storm, the old lighthouse stood steady as a rock.
steady — verb
1. to hold something firmly so that it stops shaking, wobbling, or moving, or to ke
to hold something firmly so that it stops shaking, wobbling, or moving, or to keep it in a fixed position.
Wei steadied the camera on a stack of books before taking the group photo.
The nurse steadied the patient's arm before inserting the needle.
João grabbed the railing to steady himself as the train left the station.
reflexive use: steady oneself
Aarav held the ladder steady while his father climbed up to fix the roof tiles.
steady + object (physical object)
The boat rocked wildly, so Luca had to steady the sail to avoid tipping over.
- steady a ladder
- steady a camera
- steady your hand
- steady yourself
- steady the boat
- steady a table
Grammar Patterns
steady + object
Usage Note
Often used reflexively (steady oneself) when someone steadies their own body by holding onto something. The object is usually something physical: a camera, a ladder, a boat, your arm, or yourself.
Common Mistakes
2. to return to a calm, controlled emotional state after something has upset or fri
to return to a calm, controlled emotional state after something has upset or frightened you, or to help another person regain that composure.
Mayumi closed her eyes and breathed deeply to steady her nerves before the interview.
collocation: steady (someone's) nerves
Eli steadied himself with a glass of water before walking onto the stage to speak.
reflexive: steady oneself with [something]
The market steadied after the central bank announced new interest rate policies.
intransitive use: prices / markets steady
Obi tried to steady his breathing as the dentist prepared the injection.
steady + emotion-related object
Noor steadied her voice enough to thank the crowd before walking off the podium.
steady + voice (emotional control)
- steady your nerves
- steady yourself
- steady your breathing
- steady your voice
- steady your hand
- markets steadied
- prices steadied
- calm down
more common in everyday speech; less formal
- compose oneself
more formal; suggests deliberately arranging one's emotions
- settle
applies to both people (after excitement) and markets (after volatility)
Grammar Patterns
steady oneself
steady + object + emotion noun
steady (intransitive, emotions)
Usage Note
When transitive, the object is usually a reflexive pronoun (yourself), an emotion (nerves, breathing), or a physical manifestation of emotion (voice, hands). The intransitive use is common with financial markets (prices steadied, the market steadied).
Common Mistakes
steady — adverb
1. to date only each other in a committed partnership, seeing no other people, typi
to date only each other in a committed partnership, seeing no other people, typically for a long stretch of time.
Matthew and Ada have been going steady since they met at the summer music camp.
phrase: go steady with someone
Jenna asked Aarav to go steady, but he said he was not ready yet.
Élise felt that going steady gave her a sense of security in the relationship.
Wei and his girlfriend started going steady after dating for six months.
In high school, Luca asked Noor to go steady and he happily agreed.
phrase: 'go steady' in past-tense narrative
- go steady with
- go steady
Grammar Patterns
go steady (with someone)
Usage Note
This sense only appears in the fixed phrase 'go steady (with someone).' The phrase was very common in the mid-20th century and is still understood today, though younger speakers may prefer 'dating exclusively' or 'in a relationship.'
Common Mistakes
2. in a smooth, continuous, and controlled way, without sudden changes in speed, le
in a smooth, continuous, and controlled way, without sudden changes in speed, level, or direction.
The price of rice has risen steady over the past decade, affecting many families.
adverb modifying a verb of change
Luca drove steady through the rain, keeping both hands on the wheel at all times.
The old clock ticked steady in the hallway, marking each second with a soft sound.
Obi worked steady on the painting for three hours without taking a break.
steady as adverb of manner
- rise steady
- hold steady
- tick steady
- drive steady
- work steady
- erratically
describes unpredictable or irregular movement or change
Usage Note
In modern English, 'steadily' is far more common as the adverb form. 'Steady' used as a flat adverb (without -ly) in this sense is informal and appears mainly in fixed expressions like 'go steady,' 'hold steady,' or in sports commentary ('the ball rolled steady').
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
These four words all describe change that is not sudden, but they focus on different aspects. 'Steady' emphasises regularity and reliability — a steady improvement does not stop or slow down. 'Gradual' focuses on slowness; a gradual change happens bit by bit over a long time, but could still be uneven. 'Consistent' highlights the lack of contradiction — a consistent performance is the same each time, but not necessarily continuous. 'Uniform' suggests identical parts across a whole, like a uniform colour or a uniform speed across an entire journey. For example: 'There was a steady flow of customers all morning' (regular and uninterrupted), 'a gradual recovery from illness' (slow step-by-step), 'consistent results every month' (no unexpected ups and downs), and 'uniform distribution of resources' (equal across all areas).
Common collocations
Nouns
- steady hand
- steady nerves
- steady pace
- steady income
- steady flow
- steady stream
- steady progress
- steady growth
- steady improvement
- steady decline
Adverbs
- fairly steady
- relatively steady
- remarkably steady
- perfectly steady
Phrases
- hold steady
- keep steady
- remain steady
- stay steady
- steady as a rock
- steady on your feet
Prepositions
- steady as
- steady in
- steady on
Etymology
The word 'steady' comes from the Old English 'stǣþþig' meaning 'firm in position,' which was related to 'stæþ' (a bank or shore — a fixed point on land). By the 1500s it was being used to describe someone who is 'constant in purpose.' The verb form appeared in the 1600s, and the flat adverb (without -ly) has been used since the 1300s, originally meaning 'in a fixed manner.' The romantic phrase 'go steady' appeared in American English in the early 1900s.