# steep vs stem

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### steep
*adjective · IPA /stiːp/ · frequency rank #7,292*
Of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward at an angle near vertical.

### stem
*noun · IPA /stɛm/ · frequency rank #4,336*
The stock of a family; a race or generation of progenitors.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/steep-vs-stem