steepen

American

[stee-puhn] / ˈsti pən /

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become steeper. steep.

steepen British

/ ˈstiːpən /

verb

to become or cause to become steep or steeper

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of steepen

First recorded in 1840–50; steep ¹ + -en ¹

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.

Treasury yields traded slightly higher, with the curve steepening modestly in Asian trade.

From The Wall Street Journal

Treasury yields trade slightly higher, with the curve steepening modestly in Asian trade.

From The Wall Street Journal

A trading pattern known as a steepening of the Treasury yield curve gained momentum this week.

From MarketWatch

If both disappoint, expect the curve to steepen further.

From Barron's

The steepening yield curve, with a 0.104 percentage point widening in eight days, is driven by concerns over increased government debt issuance.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023