To steer means to control the direction something moves, especially a vehicle. When you steer a bicycle, you turn the handlebars to go left or right. When someone steers a car, they use the steering wheel to guide it along the road. Sailors steer ships using a wheel or rudder, and pilots steer airplanes through the sky.

You can also steer things that aren't vehicles. A team leader might steer a group project toward success by making good decisions about what to work on next. A teacher might steer a classroom discussion back on track when students get distracted. Parents sometimes steer their children away from poor choices and toward better ones.

The word suggests gentle but firm guidance rather than force. You don't push or drag something when you steer it; you guide it in the right direction. When someone gives you good advice, they're helping to steer you toward a smart decision.

A steer is also a young male cow raised for beef, though this meaning is completely unrelated to steering a vehicle. Ranchers keep herds of steers on cattle ranches.