Definition

1. Verb (transitive): To make something steeper; to increase the slope or gradient of something.
2. Verb (intransitive): To become steeper; to increase in slope or gradient.

Usage

• Transitive Verb: The action of causing an incline to become more pronounced.
  • Example: Engineers had to steepen the ramp to meet the new design specifications.
• Intransitive Verb: The process by which an incline becomes more pronounced on its own.
  • Example: The trail steepens significantly after the second mile marker.

Examples

• Transitive use:
  • Erosion from the river is gradually steepening the canyon walls.
  • The architect proposed to steepen the roof pitch for a more dramatic look.
• Intransitive use:
  • Be careful, the path steepens ahead.
  • As we climbed higher, the slope steepened noticeably.

Advanced Usage

• Figurative Use: Can be used metaphorically to describe a rapid or sharp increase in intensity, rate, or degree.
  • Example: The economic crisis steepened the decline in consumer confidence. (Here, 'steepened' implies making the decline more rapid or severe).
  • Example: The learning curve steepens in the advanced chapters of the textbook. (Implies the difficulty increases more sharply).

Variants and Related Words

• Steep (adjective): Having a sharp slope or gradient.
  • Example: a steep hill.
• Steeply (adverb): In a steep manner.
  • Example: The road climbs steeply.
• Steepness (noun): The quality or degree of being steep.
  • Example: The steepness of the climb was challenging.

Synonyms

• For "make steeper": Sharpen, increase the gradient of, make more abrupt.
• For "become steeper": Climb more sharply, rise more abruptly, slope more.

Antonyms

• For "make steeper": Flatten, level, grade.
• For "become steeper": Flatten out, level off, gentle.

Verb

1. make steeper
   • The landslides have steepened the mountain sides
2. become steeper
   • The mountain side has steepened