footing

noun

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foot·ing | \ ˈfu̇-tiŋ

Definition of footing

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

4a : 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

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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 Cleveland's first run scored when Ramírez lofted a fly and Stewart lost his footing and fell. — Tom Withers, ajc, 15 June 2021 As part of the effort to improve HBCUs and put them on an equal footing with other schools, a North Carolina congresswoman has proposed federal legislation that would send extra funding to 100 HBCUs. — Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 15 June 2021 Both companies are on an equal footing, more or less, in terms of financial performance. — Trefis Team, Forbes, 14 June 2021 Djokovic sprinted for it and stretched to get his strings on it, but as the ball hit the clay a second time, Djokovic lost his footing and tumbled to the clay, just missing a collision with the thick post that holds up the net. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 13 June 2021 Harrison Bader appeared to lose his read on the ball, lost his footing but somehow managed to make the catch while stretching out on one knee. — Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12 May 2021 Some describe it as collateral damage resulting from how employers and employees alike lost their footing during COVID-19′s first year. — Anchorage Daily News, 13 Apr. 2021 Troy Terry picked up a loose puck after Mats Zuccarello lost his footing, poked it by Suter and then went to his backhand on a partial breakaway to put Anaheim up 1-0 at 5 minutes, 17 seconds. — Sarah Mclellan, Star Tribune, 23 Mar. 2021 On March 28, 2020, Janie Marshall lost her footing and stumbled near another woman while both were being treated for non-COVID-19 ailments at a Brooklyn hospital. — Melissa Chan, Time, 22 Feb. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'footing.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.