footing

noun

foot·​ing ˈfu̇-tiŋ How to pronounce footing (audio)
1
: a stable position or placing of the feet
2
: a surface or its condition with respect to one walking or running on it
especially : the condition of a racetrack
3
: the act of moving on foot : step, tread
4
a
: a place or position providing a base of operations : foothold
b
: established position : status
especially : position or rank in relation to others
they all started off on an equal footing
5
: basis
6
: terms of social intercourse
7
: an enlargement at the lower end of a foundation wall, pier, or column to distribute the load
8
: the sum of a column of figures

Examples of footing in a Sentence

He lost his footing and fell down the slope. Be careful. The footing is slippery there.
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.
After struggles in Week 1, the offense regained its footing under new coordinator Johnny Morton. Mike Jones, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025 Beneath the film’s comedic surface run threads of reinvention and vulnerability, themes that echo Cooper’s own early years as an actor just finding his footing in New York. Antonio Ferme, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025 But that’s exactly what the 48-year-old CEO advises that Gen Zers today, who are struggling to get a footing and even getting fired months into new roles, should embrace. Dave Smith, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025 These civic footings carry the architecture of socialist monumentality and New York sidewalks, evoking both town square and cemetery, utopia and capital. Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for footing

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of footing was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Footing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/footing. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

footing

noun
foot·​ing ˈfu̇t-iŋ How to pronounce footing (audio)
1
a
: the placing of one's feet in a position to secure a firm or safe stand
b
: a place for the foot to rest securely
2
a
: a place or position providing a base of operations : foothold sense 2
b
: position with respect to one another : status
all started off on an equal footing
c
: basis
put the business on a firm footing

More from Merriam-Webster on footing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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