steadily

steadily — 副詞

1. in a way that happens at a regular pace or by small amounts over time, without s

1.副詞B1
釋義

穩定持續

以均勻、不間斷的方式變化

in a way that happens at a regular pace or by small amounts over time, without sudden jumps or stops.

例句

The cost of living has been steadily increasing over the past few years.

過去幾年來,生活成本一直在穩定地上升。

present perfect progressive + steadily + increasing

Emre steadily improved his Mandarin by studying for twenty minutes every day.

Emre 每天花二十分鐘學中文,因此中文能力穩定進步。

steadily + past simple verb of improvement

同義詞
  • gradually

    focuses on slowness rather than regularity; 'steadily' implies evenness, 'gradually' implies a slow pace

  • consistently

    emphasises reliability over time; 'consistently' is more about dependability than rate

  • evenly

    highlights the equal spacing or distribution; more literal for physical quantities

反義詞
  • erratically

    opposite kind of movement — sudden, irregular changes

  • unevenly

    opposite in distribution or pace — not at a regular rate

文法句型

steadily + [verb of change]

be + [verb]ing + steadily

have + [past participle] + steadily

用法筆記

Frequently paired with verbs of change — increase, decrease, improve, grow, decline, rise, fall. The focus is on the regularity of the change, not its speed.

常見錯誤

The temperature steadily dropped very fast.
The temperature dropped steadily throughout the night.
💡'steadily' emphasises regularity, not speed; avoid pairing it with 'fast' or 'quickly' in the same clause.

2. in a calm, controlled, and confident manner, without wavering or being interrupt

2.副詞B2
釋義

沉穩地

冷靜、有控制且不受干擾地

in a calm, controlled, and confident manner, without wavering or being interrupted by outside events.

例句

Despite the loud noise outside, the speaker continued steadily with her presentation.

儘管外面噪音很大,講者仍沉穩地繼續她的簡報。

continued steadily + despite [distraction] — adversity context

Adaeze looked steadily at the interviewer and answered every question with confidence.

Adaeze 沉穩地看著面試官,自信地回答每一個問題。

looked steadily at [person] — controlled gaze

同義詞
  • calmly

    focuses on emotional state rather than physical control; 'calmly' is more about inner peace

  • firmly

    emphasises strength of purpose or grip; 'firmly' suggests resolve

  • composedly

    more formal; highlights self-possession under pressure

反義詞
  • unsteadily

    the direct opposite — lacking physical or emotional control

  • shakily

    specifically about trembling or unreliable movement

文法句型

steadily + [verb of perception/action]

verb + steadily + preposition + [object]

用法筆記

Common with verbs of looking, holding, speaking, or performing skilled physical actions. The emphasis is on composure and control, often in situations where staying calm is difficult.

常見錯誤

He steadily breathed in and out.
He breathed steadily in and out to calm himself down.
💡with bodily actions, use 'steadily' to highlight the deliberate, controlled quality, not just the fact of the action.