STEEPEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does steepen mean? 

• STEEPEN (verb)
  The verb STEEPEN has 2 senses:

1. become steeper

2. make steeper

  Familiarity information: STEEPEN used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STEEPEN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they steepen    ... he / she / it steepens   
Past simple: steepened   
Past participle: steepened   
-ing form: steepening   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become steeper

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The mountain side has steepened

Hypernyms (to "steepen" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make steeper

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The landslides have steepened the mountain sides

Hypernyms (to "steepen" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

 Context examples 

At the first outset, heavy, miry ground and a matted, marish vegetation greatly delayed our progress; but by little and little the hill began to steepen and become stony under foot, and the wood to change its character and to grow in a more open order.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)