Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "steer" [steer]

  • To guide by means of a device such as a rudder, paddle, or wheel. (verb-transitive)
  • To direct the course of. See Synonyms at conduct. (verb-transitive)
  • To maneuver (a person) into a place or course of action. See Synonyms at guide. (verb-transitive)
  • To guide a vessel or vehicle. (verb-intransitive)
  • To follow or move in a set course. (verb-intransitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "steer" in a sentence
  • "I just let my misreading of the title steer me in the wrong direction."
  • "First a Grade A Choice Holstein steer was chased into a swamp a mile and a half from a road and shot several times."
  • "Another, more basic navigational aid helps the captain steer through tight spots like the Panama Canal, where a nasty scrape against the sides is only 90ft away."
  • "Pollan buys a steer from a pasture in South Dakota, whereupon it is loaded onto a truck."
  • "In the great state of Texas, a man takes it like a man, or a steer, which is not a camel or a cow."