steadily
Americanadverb
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in a way that moves constantly and at an even pace or in the same direction.
My dedication and commitment to teaching are proven by my steadily increasing student evaluation scores.
Despite numerous legislative attempts to constrain spending over the past 40 years, the deficit problem has marched steadily on.
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in a continuous, uniform way.
It rained steadily all day yesterday and by evening the river was almost overflowing.
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in a calm, fixed, or unwavering way.
He just stood there, holding his ground and gazing steadily at her, into those dark eyes.
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in a firm, stable way.
Binoculars with larger magnification tend to be overly bulky and difficult to hold steadily.
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in a determined, persevering, or resolute way.
She told him, “Seek peace of mind and hold steadily to your faith.”
Other Word Forms
- oversteadily adverb
Etymology
Origin of steadily
Explanation
Something that happens steadily occurs at a predictable, reliable, unchanging pace. If it keeps raining for hours, it's been raining steadily. If you stand outside without an umbrella, you will steadily get drenched. Anything that keeps happening at a regular clip is happening steadily. A politician who campaigns every day for months has been campaigning steadily. If you write an hour a day on a novel, the novel is growing steadily. The opposite of steadily is unsteadily, which would describe something that happens in an irregular, shaky, or unpredictable way. Anything done steadily goes on and on.
Vocabulary lists containing steadily
"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
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Obama's State of the Union Address, 2014
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Actual factory output is up sharply and may be picking up speed, even though factory jobs have slid steadily.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
They have steadily learned how to transform it.
From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026
“The irony is that steadily rising education attainment, notably enjoyed by young Latina mothers, leads to bearing fewer children.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
Most economists, politicians, and businesses like to see GDP rising steadily.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
The land was climbing steadily, as Krukoslik had said it would.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
