steady

/ˈstɛdi/

//ˈstɛdi// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"steady" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“steady” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,272 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#4,272
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

steady vs study
67% similar
steady vs steam
67% similar
steady vs steal
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for steady
PropertyValue
Headwordsteady
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈstɛdi/
Letters6
Frequency rank#4,272
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “steady” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). steady lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for steady is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈstɛdi/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,272 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for steady, with forms such as "setady", "ssteady", and "staedy". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "study", "steam", "steal", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English stedy, studi, stidiȝ, perhaps continuing Old English stæþþiġ, ġestæþþiġ (“steadfast, stable, firm, staid”), equivalent to stead + -y; or calquing Middle Low German or Middle Dutch stēdig. Cognate with Saterland Frisian stoadig (“constant… The correct English form is steady, spelled S-T-E-A-D-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm.
  2. 2
    Constant in feeling, purpose, or pursuit; not fickle, changeable, or wavering; not easily moved or persuaded to alter a purpose; resolute.
  3. 3
    Smooth and not bumpy or with obstructions.
  4. 4
    Phlegmatic, calm; not easily upset, excited, or disturbed.
  5. 5
    Regular and even.
  6. 6
    Slow.
  7. 7
    With whom one is going steady.
  8. 8
    Confident and cool-headed under pressure; competent; reliable, adept.

Etymology

From Middle English stedy, studi, stidiȝ, perhaps continuing Old English stæþþiġ, ġestæþþiġ (“steadfast, stable, firm, staid”), equivalent to stead + -y; or calquing Middle Low German or Middle Dutch stēdig. Cognate with Saterland Frisian stoadig (“constant, continual”), West Frisian stadich (“slow”), Danish stedig, stadig, steeg, Swedish stadig, Icelandic stöðugur, German stätig, stetig. Compare also Old English ġestedegian (“to bring to a standstill”). Sense 8 of the adjective is a semantic loan from Hokkien 在 (chāi, “steady, confident”).

Synonyms

robustsoliduntotteringdoggedstaunchunyieldingobstinatefluidconstantuniformunvaryingglacialponderousstatelyslowconsistentequableequaleveneven-keeledmonotonousregularsamelystablesteadyuncheckeredunvaried

Antonyms

unsteadyunsteady

This word in other languages

estable(Español)lisse(Français)stetig(Deutsch)estável(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: setady,ssteady,staedy,steaddy,steadyy,steayd,steday,stteady,tseady

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of steady - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

setady2ssteady1staedy2steaddy1steadyy1steayd2steday2stteady1
Edit distance from "steady"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "steady"?
"steady" is spelled S-T-E-A-D-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈstɛdi/.
What does "steady" mean?
As an adjective, "steady" means: Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm.
What words are commonly confused with "steady"?
"steady" is commonly confused with "study", "steam", "steal". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "steady"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "steady" is /ˈstɛdi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "steady"?
From Middle English stedy, studi, stidiȝ, perhaps continuing Old English stæþþiġ, ġestæþþiġ (“steadfast, stable, firm, staid”), equivalent to stead + -y; or calquing Middle Low German or Middle Dutch stēdig. Cognate with Saterland Frisian stoadig ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “steady”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-T-E-A-D-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈstɛdi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “study” - see the side-by-side comparison. steady vs study
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list