footstep

noun

foot·​step ˈfu̇t-ˌstep 

1

: the mark of the foot : track

2

a

: tread

b

: distance covered by a step : pace

3

: a step on which to ascend or descend

4

: a way of life, conduct, or action

followed in their father's footsteps

Synonyms of footstep

• footprint
• step

Examples of footstep in a Sentence

She slowly took one footstep toward the frightened animal.

It's five footsteps from the bedroom to the bathroom.

Recent Examples on the Web

The kids' interest in aircraft follows in their father's footsteps. —Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026

Bryce follows in his father’s footsteps, living and breathing basketball. —Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 13 June 2026

Inspired by the German polymath Alexander von Humboldt’s travels in South America and his ensuing argument for the interdependence of all natural entities, the young Church embarked on a nearly seven-month expedition in Humboldt’s footsteps. —Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 13 June 2026

Honeywell is following in the footsteps of 3M, Danaher, GE, and United Technologies — companies that once preached the virtues of a diversified portfolio but have concluded that value now comes from focus. —Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for footstep

• bicep
• doorstep
• instep
• misstep
• sidestep
• cep
• hep
• pep
• prep
• rep
• sep
• step

Kids Definition

footstep

noun

foot·​step -ˌstep 

1

a

: a step of the foot

b

: the distance covered by a step : pace

2

a

: the mark of the foot

b

: the sound of a footstep

3

: a step on which to go up or down