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

Michael briefly followed in his adoptive parents' footsteps, embarking on a career in entertainment in the 1980s that ranged from a stint on the CBS political soap opera Capitol, to a part as a concierge in the primetime soap Falcon Crest, which starred Wyman. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026

Both her children would follow in her entertainment footsteps in different capacities. —Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026

Following in the footsteps of her father and predecessor, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II wore the Imperial State Crown after her 1953 coronation. —Emma Banks, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026

Following in the footsteps of many an onscreen May-December romance (The Idea of You, Babygirl, Marty Supreme), Mysterious Skin’s Gregg Araki serves up a darkly sexy riff on the sub-genre. —Radhika Seth, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2026

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