doorstep

noun

door·​step ˈdȯr-ˌstep How to pronounce doorstep (audio)
: a step before an outer door
Phrases
on one's doorstep
: close at hand
especially : too close to be overlooked

Examples of doorstep in a Sentence

We sat on the doorstep. The police were at my doorstep.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
No one in the film gives the impression of watching the invasive construction at their doorsteps with skepticism or fear. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 May 2025 There are over 400 coffee varieties to choose from, and each month, Trade will ship a bag of beans to your doorstep based on your taste profile and coffee preferences. Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 11 May 2025 The Stars goaltender had stopped a MacKinnon drive to the net, and the puck lay on the doorstep. Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 2 May 2025 The potential expansion into Kansas City comes a decade after Bezos, in an interview with 60 Minutes in 2013, unveiled his vision of drones whizzing deliveries to customers’ doorsteps within 30 minutes. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for doorstep

Word History

First Known Use

1767, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of doorstep was in 1767

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doorstep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doorstep. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

doorstep

noun
door·​step -ˌstep How to pronounce doorstep (audio)
: a step or series of steps before an outer door

More from Merriam-Webster on doorstep

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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