steeply

steeply — adverb

1. to a great degree over a brief period of time, describing shifts in measurable t

1.adverbB2
Definition

to a great degree over a brief period of time, describing shifts in measurable things such as prices, rates, or levels

Example

Oil prices rose steeply last winter, pushing up the cost of heating for many homes.

collocation: rose steeply / fell steeply

Since the new factory opened, unemployment in this area has fallen steeply.

Common collocations
  • rise steeply
  • fall steeply
  • drop steeply
  • increase steeply
  • climb steeply
Synonyms
  • sharply

    more general term that works for both angles and quantities; slightly less dramatic than steeply

  • dramatically

    emphasises the striking or surprising nature of the change

  • drastically

    suggests the change is severe or extreme, often with negative consequences

Antonyms
  • gradually

    implies a slow, step-by-step change rather than a sudden one

  • slightly

    indicates only a small degree of change

Grammar Patterns

steeply + verb of change (rise/fall/drop/increase/decrease)

Usage Note

Subject is typically a measurable quantity such as a price, rate, temperature, or level. Frequent verb partners include rise, fall, drop, increase, decrease, and climb.

Common Mistakes

Temperatures rose steeply from 25 to 26 degrees.
Temperatures rose steeply from 5 to 25 degrees.
'Steeply' requires a large change, not a small one, to match the meaning of 'by a great amount.'

2. with a very sharp angle, so that a physical surface or route goes up or down qui

2.adverbB1
Definition

with a very sharp angle, so that a physical surface or route goes up or down quickly rather than slowly

Example

The path climbs steeply from the village up to the old castle on the hill.

collocation: climb steeply / slope steeply

Romi's driveway slopes steeply down to the garage, making parking tricky in winter.

prepositional pattern: slopes steeply down to [location]

Common collocations
  • climb steeply
  • slope steeply
  • descend steeply
  • drop steeply
  • rise steeply
Synonyms
  • sharply

    overlaps with steeply for angles; 'the road turned sharply' is slightly less precise about slope

  • precipitously

    more formal and dramatic, often implying danger or a near-vertical drop

Antonyms
  • gently

    describes a slope that rises or falls gradually, without a sharp angle

Grammar Patterns

verb of movement + steeply (climb/slope/descend/rise/drop)

Usage Note

Subject is typically a physical element such as a path, road, slope, staircase, roof, or hillside. Frequent verb partners include climb, slope, descend, drop, rise, and lead.

Common Mistakes

The price of rice climbed steeply last month.
The path climbed steeply up the mountainside.
Use sense 1 (RAPID CHANGE) for prices and quantities; use sense 2 (SHARP ANGLE) for actual physical slopes.

Word family

  • steep
    adjectiveB1
  • steepness
    nounB2
  • steepen
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four adverbs describe notable change, but they differ in what they emphasise. Sharply is the most neutral and versatile, fitting both angles ('turn sharply') and quantities ('prices rose sharply'). Dramatically adds a layer of surprise or impressiveness — a dramatic rise is one that catches attention. Drastically carries a stronger tone of severity and often implies negative consequences ('budgets were cut drastically'). Steeply sits closest to sharply but is most at home with measurable data like prices, rates, and temperatures; it suggests a change that is both large and fast, like a steep line on a graph. For a physical slope, use steeply rather than dramatically or drastically. Example: 'The stock market fell sharply yesterday' (objective fact) versus 'The stock market fell steeply yesterday' (emphasises the graph-like steepness of the drop).

sharply ↗dramatically ↗drasticallysteeply ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Derived from the Old English word 'stēap,' meaning 'high, lofty, or deep,' which developed into the Middle English 'steep' describing a sharp slope. The adverb form 'steeply' appeared in the 1300s, originally referring to physical steepness and later extending to the figurative sense of rapid or extreme change by the 1800s.