stepping stone
noun
variants
or less commonly stepping-stone
plural stepping stones also stepping-stones
1
: a stone on which to step (as in crossing a stream or following a path)
We filled our water bottles in a large, clear lake set in smooth granite, crossed a stream using stepping stones, and started up a winding path that rose to a series of switchbacks.—
Joshua Rothman
Joshua RothmanAs in a Japanese garden, where stepping-stones force you to savor your stroll, you must watch every step and wind your way around the Japanese pines and beach grasses.—Stephen Drucker
Stephen Drucker2
: a means of progress or advancement
a stepping stone to success
But now many more see a political job as a stepping stone to money, power and influence.—Barbara Gamarekian
Barbara GamarekianEach person I talked to was to be a stepping-stone to the overall plan. It was my job to educate them so they would take their natural places in the plan.—Jane Smiley
Jane SmileyExamples of stepping stone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After Wolves avoided relegation with a level of comfort last season under Pereira, the expectation within Molineux is to use a stress-free campaign as a stepping stone to something more.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
The latest find suggests there might have been a link between the populations on Flores and Sulawesi — and that perhaps Sulawesi was a stepping stone for the hobbits on Flores, according to the authors of the new research, who have studied sites on Flores.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
However, Spieth is viewing this end of the season as a stepping stone to reach the top of his game.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
Despite these challenges, a $295 million equity raise has provided the company with some leeway, and optimistic analysts view this ramp-up as a stepping stone towards profitability.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
That follows earlier alarms about the use of AI reducing the need for entry-level jobs, a critical stepping stone for recent college graduates looking to launch their careers.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2025
This humanizes leadership, turns setbacks into stepping stones and creates a culture where learning outweighs blame, driving long-term engagement.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
That honor falls to the Grade II San Diego Handicap, the stepping stone to the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 1.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2025
Embracing rejection is about harnessing it as a stepping stone to meaningful development.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
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Steve Madeley, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
The latest find suggests there might have been a link between the populations on Flores and Sulawesi — and that perhaps Sulawesi was a stepping stone for the hobbits on Flores, according to the authors of the new research, who have studied sites on Flores.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
However, Spieth is viewing this end of the season as a stepping stone to reach the top of his game.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
Despite these challenges, a $295 million equity raise has provided the company with some leeway, and optimistic analysts view this ramp-up as a stepping stone towards profitability.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
That follows earlier alarms about the use of AI reducing the need for entry-level jobs, a critical stepping stone for recent college graduates looking to launch their careers.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2025
This humanizes leadership, turns setbacks into stepping stones and creates a culture where learning outweighs blame, driving long-term engagement.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
That honor falls to the Grade II San Diego Handicap, the stepping stone to the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 1.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2025
Embracing rejection is about harnessing it as a stepping stone to meaningful development.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stepping stone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stepping%20stone. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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