steepen

Preposition: of

• slope: Rates of recession may be accelerating due to narrowing and steepening of the adjacent inter-tidal slope.

Object

• slope: Deep snow turned into deep heather and snow, and with the steepening slope slipping and falling became more frequent.
• gradient: The gradient steepened in the last few hundred yards and in addition there was a very sharp right hand curve.
• wall: Continue up the inverted " V " slab, step right and climb the steepening wall with the aid of two pegs.
• valley: Day 7: Bedding Today, we continue up the steepening valley to Bedding.
• slab: Climb the center of the steepening slab with a delicate move across a diagonal crack to gain the center of a diagonal flake line.
• approach: The model has a fast and flat glide and would benefit from the addition of flaps to slow down and steepen the approach.

Used with why or when

• when: Follow this easily until it steepens when more thought-provoking climbing leads to a belay on a grass ledge.

Modifying Another Word

• again: Soon the ridge steepens again for what's known as the little tower.
• considerably: They steepen considerably on the climb to a point beneath the highest line of cliffs, seen under the eastern peak.
• gradually: This consists of a 1000m ice face which gradually steepens to 70 degrees.
• then: The ridge above this point starts easily and then steepens below the South Summit.
• abruptly: As we approached the final pitches, the climbing steepened abruptly and the exposure overlooking Crowberry Gully increased dramatically.
• dramatically: Do not let this fool you as it soon turns upwards to the right and steepens dramatically.