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

Expect a rather more faithful adaptation second time out, as toy giant Mattel looks to He-Man and co to follow in Barbie's box-office conquering footsteps. —Richard Edwards, Space.com, 31 Dec. 2025

And others may soon follow in Miami’s footsteps. —Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025

Rumble is already following in her famous parents' footsteps. —Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025

Alex, having followed in his father’s professional footsteps, is currently a defensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs; Tyler, according to his LinkedIn, runs a digital marketing company in Salt Lake City specializing in Google ads. —Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 29 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for footstep

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

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