Steepen (Verb)

Meaning ¹

Make steeper; "The landslides have steepened the mountain sides".

Classification

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..

Examples

• The construction of additional stairs and paths has helped steepen the incline for easier climbing.
• Extreme weather conditions with heavy rainfall have steepened the slopes surrounding the village.
• The course designers decided to steepen the last mile of the mountain bike track to increase the challenge.
• Frequent rockfalls have steepened the cliff faces along the winding coastal road.
• Over millions of years, the erosion of the river has steepened the canyon walls dramatically.

Hypernyms

• Alter
• Modify

Meaning ²

Become steeper; "The mountain side has steepened".

Classification

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..

Examples

• The hike started off relatively easy but began to steepen significantly as we ascended higher.
• As the boat approached the shore, the slope of the waves started to steepen, making it difficult to navigate.
• The terrain steepened dramatically after the old tree stump, and we had to use the ropes to climb further.
• Over the centuries, erosion has caused the riverbank to steepen, creating a wall of stone that plunges into the water.
• The path wound its way up the mountain, gradually increasing in difficulty as the slope began to steepen.