baby step

noun

: a very small step or advance in progress
These companies can create products that take a real leap forward, rather than the traditional baby steps that larger companies with greater commitments must make.Home Theater
baby-step verb, transitive + intransitive
baby-stepped; baby-stepping
… after the 2-1 victory that baby-stepped the sixth-place Rangers within four points of the first-place Devils … Larry Brooks
"This is murder," John Chaney had said in that ever-raspy voice as he baby-stepped toward the court Thursday night. "My feet are killing me." Tom Archdeacon

Examples of baby step in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Since the internet was hard to use back then, the service was mediated by local librarians, who would help library-goers take their baby steps online. Diba Mohtasham, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 From our vantage point, this feature seems to represent baby steps toward a future where GPTs, as independent agents, could work together as a team to fulfill more complex tasks directed by the user. Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2024 This is an important question to ask when your startup is taking its first baby steps. Alla Adam, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 What Now is another side of Brittany Howard that makes each of her previous departures feel like a baby step by comparison. Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2024 Leaning on each other Brenda Hollins said her son’s recovery was like childhood all over again, baby steps. Susan Svrluga, Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2023 But the possibilities are limited, time is running out and the Warriors can only take baby steps. Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024 Jacob Elordi may need to approach his Saturday Night Live hosting debut with baby steps. Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2024 The water was actually an unusually warm 61 degrees when the plungers ran, jogged or took frightened baby steps into the water just after 10 a.m. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'baby step.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of baby step was in 1825

Dictionary Entries Near baby step

Cite this Entry

“Baby step.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baby%20step. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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