Steam — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈstēm/

Meaning & Definition of Steam

Steam (noun)

  1. a vapor arising from a heated substance
  2. the invisible vapor into which water is converted when heated to the boiling point
  3. the mist formed by the condensation on cooling of water vapor

Steam (verb)

  1. to give out as fumes, exhale
  2. to apply steam to; especially, to expose to the action of steam (as for softening or cooking)
  3. to rise or pass off as vapor

Steam (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger

    "the newspaper's blatantly biased coverage made a lot of readers steam"

    similar: boil, burn, foam, fume, rage, rankle, seethe, sizzle, storm, see red
    related: fulminate, rant, rave, smolder, bristle, flare (up), inflame, chafe, fret, stew, agitate, convulse, roil, shake

Steam (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in smoke, cloud

    similar: bank, cloud, fume, miasma, smoke, smother, brume, fog, gauze, haze, mist, murk, reek, smog, soup

Related Entry: Steam up (verb)

Steam up is a different word from Steam. The synonyms below are for steam up, not for steam.

  1. to make angry

    "finding yet another mistaken charge on his hospital bill really steamed him up"

    similar: anger, enrage, incense, inflame, infuriate, ire, mad, madden, outrage, rankle, rile, roil, tick off, get one's goat, rub the wrong way
    related: affront, aggravate, annoy, burn (up), cross, exasperate, get, huff, irritate, miff, nettle, offend, peeve, pique, provoke, put out, ruffle, vex, antagonize, embitter, envenom
    opposite: delight, gratify, please
    near: allay, assuage, relieve, comfort, console, soothe, appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, calm, lull, quiet, settle, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, disarm, enchant

Related Entry: Full steam ahead (phrase)

Full steam ahead is a different word from Steam. The synonyms below are for full steam ahead, not for steam.

  1. with all power or resources being used

    "Now that the research is mostly done we can move full steam ahead with the next phase of the project."

    similar: all out, full blast, full tilt, tooth and nail, in full career, like crazy, to the hilt
    related: completely, comprehensively, detailedly, exhaustively, fully, minutely, roundly, thoroughly, totally, extremely, utterly

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Steam

The most common words with a similar meaning to Steam:

boil, burn, foam, fume, rage, rankle, seethe, sizzle, storm, see red, bank, cloud, miasma, smoke, smother, brume, fog, gauze, haze, mist, murk, reek, smog, soup

Related Words for Steam

fulminate, rant, rave, smolder, bristle, flare (up), inflame, chafe, fret, stew, agitate, convulse, roil, shake

Word Forms of Steam

Inflections: steamed, steaming, steams

Origin & Etymology of Steam

Middle English stem, from Old English stēam; akin to Dutch stoom steam

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Steam

Words & Phrases Containing Steam

steam boiler, steam chest, steam engine, steam iron, steam shovel, steam table, steam turbine, steam up

Frequently Asked Questions about Steam

What does "Steam" mean?

"Steam" means a vapor arising from a heated substance. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a vapor arising from a heated substance. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Steam"?

Other words for "Steam" include boil, burn, foam, fume, rage, rankle, seethe and sizzle. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Steam" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Steam"?

There are 38 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Steam". Common alternatives include boil, burn, foam, fume, rage, rankle, seethe, sizzle, storm and see red.

How do you use "Steam" in a sentence?

Examples of "Steam" in a sentence: "the newspaper's blatantly biased coverage made a lot of readers steam".

Is "Steam" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Steam" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Steam" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Steam" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Steam"?

"Steam" is pronounced /ˈstēm/.

What is the origin of the word "Steam"?

"Steam" comes from Middle English stem, from Old English stēam; akin to Dutch stoom steam. First known use: before 12th century.