Steaming

adj, noun, verb, slang

adj, noun, verb, slang ·2 syllables ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The action of steam on something. countable, uncountable

    "Steaming is fine for this fabric, as long as you keep the iron moving."

  2. 2
    The method of cooking by immersion in steam. countable, uncountable

    "Their favorite way to cook clams is steaming."

  3. 3
    The act or process of seafaring under steam power. countable, uncountable

    "Steaming was their preferred way to travel until airliners came along."

  4. 4
    The raising of steam by a steam locomotive etc; the maintenance of a head of steam during operation; (metonymic) operation under load. countable, uncountable

    "Two 4-4-0s were steaming through the scenic foothills, giving rides to tourists."

  5. 5
    A form of robbery in which a large gang moves swiftly and violently through a bus or train. UK, countable, informal, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    present participle and gerund of steam form-of, gerund, participle, present
Adjective
  1. 1
    Giving off steam.

    "We were served with steaming bowls of soup."

  2. 2
    Extremely hot
  3. 3
    Very angry. slang

    "I was steaming when I heard about their betrayal."

  4. 4
    Extremely drunk. UK, slang

    "‘Will it help or hinder if I tell you I was steaming that evening and remember nothing, full stop?’"

Adjective
  1. 1
    filled with steam or emitting moisture in the form of vapor or mist wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    (used of heat) extremely wordnet

Example

More examples

"The cauldron was steaming and bubbling."

Etymology

By surface analysis, steam + -ing.

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.