How to pronounce steady
Say it like STED-ee. Steady has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STED).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce steady. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STED
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Steady pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STEDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of steady
American and British speakers say steady in essentially the same way: /ˈstɛdi/ in the US and /ˈstɛdi/ in the UK.
British respelling: STED-ee.
What does steady mean?
- make steady“steady yourself”
- support or hold steady and make steadfast, with or as if with a brace“brace your elbows while working on the potter's wheel”
- not subject to change or variation especially in behavior“a steady beat”“a steady job”
- not liable to fluctuate or especially to fall“stocks are still firm”
- securely in position; not shaky“held the ladder steady”
- a person loved by another person
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with steady
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of steady.
Questions about saying steady
How do you pronounce steady?
Say STED-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈstɛdi/. In British English it is /ˈstɛdi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in steady?
Steady has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STED). Broken into parts: STED · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say steady the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈstɛdi/ and the British form is /ˈstɛdi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.