steepen

/ˈstiːpən/
verb
  1. To become steeper or more inclined.
    • The road steepens suddenly just before the bridge.
    • As we climbed higher, the slope steepened dramatically.
    • The trail steepens as you get closer to the mountain peak.
  2. To make something steeper or more inclined.
    • The construction crew steepened the driveway to improve drainage.
    • They steepened the roof angle to prevent snow from piling up.
    • The architect steepened the staircase to fit the small space.
  3. To increase or become more intense (often used figuratively).
    • The learning curve steepens when you move to advanced topics.
    • The competition steepened as more companies entered the market.
    • The challenges steepened after the first year of the project.
Antonyms
What does "steepen" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean