steepen

verb

steep·​en ˈstē-pən How to pronounce steepen (audio)
-pᵊm
steepened; steepening ˈstē-pə-niŋ How to pronounce steepen (audio)
ˈstēp-niŋ

transitive verb

: to make steeper

Examples of steepen in a Sentence

The path steepened as we approached the summit. A large glacier steepened the side of the mountain.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ashworth said his firm's anticipating a 10% universal tariff in Q2, steepening tariffs on China and sees rising risk of additional tariffs tagged to European Union imports. Nathan Bomey, Axios, 5 Feb. 2025 The price of eggs is steepening as bird flu spreads among poultry flocks in the United States. Sara Chernikoff, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2025 That job, however, just became that much harder and that much more daunting with a climb that has steepened. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025 When a trend steepens, using the slope of a short-term moving average like the 20-day is helpful in determining when there has been a meaningful enough loss of momentum to warrant reducing exposure. Katie Stockton, CNBC, 16 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for steepen 

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of steepen was in 1847

Dictionary Entries Near steepen

Cite this Entry

“Steepen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steepen. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

steepen

verb
steep·​en ˈstē-pən How to pronounce steepen (audio)
steepened; steepening ˈstēp-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce steepen (audio)
: to make or become steeper
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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