steeply

steeply — adverb

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

1.副詞B2
釋義

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

例句

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.

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • gradually

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

  • slightly

    indicates only a small degree of change

文法句型

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

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.副詞B1
釋義

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

例句

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]

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • gently

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

文法句型

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

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.