Word
steaming
Phoneticssteam·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈstimɪŋ/
UK/stˈiːmɪŋ/
Definition
adj. extremely angry or very hot. You use this to describe someone who is so mad that they look like they might have steam coming out of their ears.
adj. experiencing or expressing intense anger; also used to describe something emitting water vapour due to high temperature. Often used predicatively after 'be' or 'get'.
Examples
“He was absolutely steaming after the meeting.”
“She was steaming when she found out that her flight had been cancelled without any prior notice.”
“The manager was visibly steaming as he walked out of the press conference, refusing to answer any further questions about the team's recent performance.”
Examples
simple
“He was absolutely steaming after the meeting.”
contextual
“She was steaming when she found out that her flight had been cancelled without any prior notice.”
complex
“The manager was visibly steaming as he walked out of the press conference, refusing to answer any further questions about the team's recent performance.”
Usage
Often modified by 'absolutely' or 'visibly' to emphasise the intensity of the emotion.
Real-World Examples
“It's particularly important that meals are reheated until steaming hot (at least 60°C (140°F)).” “Steaming hot liquid can damage the cell lining on the way down to the stomach, experts say.” “The answer varies depending on where you're from, but it's likely some form of broth, served steaming in a bowl.” “Jarvis, Joe Yang, and hundreds of human baristas across Seattle have all mastered one particularly crucial task in making an espresso drink: steaming milk properly.” Etymology
By surface analysis, steam + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. steaming hot
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/steaming