Words / B2

STEEP/stiːp/

Steep means rising or falling sharply, or (of a price or increase) unreasonably high: a steep rise; a steep hill. Sharp is close for change; expensive is the price twin. A steep rise in exclusions still needs a denominator. Mix-up: step is a stair or stage (already in the dictionary); cheap is low-cost. Do not call a 1% change steep without a scale.

Meaning

Rising or falling sharply; also (of a price or increase) unreasonably high.

Examples

• “A steep rise in exclusions still needs a denominator, the inspector said.”
• “The path is steep after the stile, which is the hillside sense.”

Good to know

a steep hill / rise / drop; steeply; a steep price. Close (change): sharp. Trap: step. Geography, data, and news. Sharp incline or too-high price.

Near in meaning

sharp

New