Word
steer
US/ˈstɪɹ/
UK/stˈiə/
Definitions
01to drive or guide a vehicle
B1 · Intermediate
v. to control the direction of a car, boat, or bicycle using a wheel or handle.
v. to control the course of a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft by means of a steering mechanism.
“It is difficult to steer the boat when the wind is blowing this hard.”
“The novice driver struggled to steer the car through the narrow, winding alleyways of the old town without clipping the mirrors.”
Usage
The verb can be used transitively with the vehicle as the object or intransitively.
02to guide a person or topic
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to influence someone or a conversation to go in a certain direction.
v. to maneuver or manipulate a person, group, or discussion toward a specific course of action or subject.
“The teacher tried to steer the students away from the topic of the exam.”
“The CEO skillfully managed to steer the board of directors toward a more sustainable long-term investment strategy.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'towards' or 'away from'.
03a piece of advice
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal · British English
n. a helpful suggestion or piece of information about what you should do.
n. a piece of advice or information concerning a potential course of action.
“Can you give me a steer on which laptop I should buy?”
“He gave me a useful steer on the upcoming merger, suggesting that I wait for the official announcement before selling my shares.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'give someone a steer'.
Synonyms
04a male cow
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical
n. a young male cow that has been operated on so it cannot father calves, usually raised for meat.
n. a castrated male of the cattle family, typically one raised for beef production.
“The farmer moved the steers into the lower field for the summer.”
“The rancher specialized in raising high-quality steers for the premium organic beef market.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “steer” in context.
Verb
01. carefully steer the ship through the narrow channel
“The captain had to carefully steer the ship through the narrow channel to avoid the rocks.”
adv + verb + noun + prep + adj + noun
02. steer clear of the controversy
“The politician tried to steer clear of the controversy during the press conference.”
verb + adj + prep + noun
03. steer the conversation toward a different topic
“She skillfully steered the conversation toward a different topic when things got uncomfortable.”
verb + noun + prep + adj + noun
04. steer the project to completion
“It was her leadership that steered the project to completion despite the budget cuts.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Preposition
05. at the steer
“With a new CEO at the steer, the company is expected to undergo significant changes.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Hichilema is credited with steering Zambia through a difficult economic climate but his popularity was dented as many people said their circumstances have not improved.” “British businessman Sir Dave Lewis has been brought in to steer a turnaround, including a $1bn savings plan over the next three years.” “There is no crew, no one steering it.” Etymology
Inherited from Middle English steeren, steren, stiren, sturen, steoren, from Old English stēoran, stīeran, stȳran (“to steer; guide a vessel”), from Proto-West Germanic stiurijan (“to steer”), from Proto-Germanic stiurijaną (“to steer”). The noun is from Middle English steere, stere (“rudder”), steor, from Old English stēor, stȳr (“steering; guidance; direction”). Compare Dutch stuur, German Steuer, Icelandic stýri.
Inherited from Middle English steer, ster, from Old English stēor (“a young bull or cow; steer”), from Proto-Germanic steuraz (“bull; steer”), from Proto-Indo-European (s)táwros (“wild bull; aurochs”). Cognate with Dutch stier, German Stier, Icelandic stjór, Latin taurus (“bull”), Greek ταύρος (távros). Doublet of tur and Taurus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
01. bum steer
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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