steerage

noun

steer·​age ˈstir-ij How to pronounce steerage (audio)
1
: the act or practice of steering
broadly : direction
2
[from its originally being located near the rudder] : a section of inferior accommodations in a passenger ship for passengers paying the lowest fares

Examples of steerage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 99% are the steerage class. — Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026 Carnegie came over in steerage and poured the steel that became our skylines. — Anthony Scaramucci, Fortune, 28 June 2026 If Miranda Priestly can get thrown in steerage, we’re all screwed. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026 There were five dozen other passengers, all but two in steerage, and the crossing, in miserable weather, took almost two months. — David Owen, The New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2024 See All Example Sentences for steerage

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of steerage was in the 15th century

Rhymes for steerage

See All Rhymes for steerage

Browse Nearby Words

steerable
steerage
steerage passenger
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Cite this Entry

“Steerage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steerage. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

steerage

noun
steer·​age ˈsti(ə)r-ij How to pronounce steerage (audio)
1
: the act or practice of steering
also : direction sense 1
2
: a section in a passenger ship for passengers paying the lowest fares

More from Merriam-Webster on steerage

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about steerage

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