How to pronounce steer
Say it like STEER. Steer is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce steer. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STEER
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Steer pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STEERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of steer
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: STEER.
What does steer mean?
- direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
- direct (oneself) somewhere“Steer clear of him”
- be a guiding or motivating force or drive“The teacher steered the gifted students towards the more challenging courses”
- an indication of potential opportunity“he got a tip on the stock market”“a good lead for a job”
- castrated bull
Where does steer come from?
The noun is from Middle English steere, stere (“rudder”), steor, from Old English stēor, stȳr (“steering; guidance; direction”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with steer
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of steer.
Questions about saying steer
How do you pronounce steer?
Say STEER. The American pronunciation is /stɪr/. In British English it is /stɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in steer?
Steer is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: STEER.
Is steer pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /stɪə/ (STEER).