footing

1 of 2

noun

foot·​ing ˈfu̇-tiŋ 

1

: a stable position or placing of the feet

lost his footing and fell

2

: a surface or its condition with respect to one walking or running on it

Be careful—the footing is slippery there.

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

put the business on a firm financial footing

6

: terms of social intercourse

neighbors on a friendly footing

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

footing

2 of 2

present participle of foot entry 2

Synonyms of footing

Noun

• basis
• foundation
• bedrock
• cornerstone

Examples of footing in a Sentence

Noun

He lost his footing and fell down the slope.

Be careful. The footing is slippery there.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

States and tribal regulators disagree, insisting that contracts tied to sports and entertainment are gambling by another name—a fight that is now headed toward the Supreme Court as Kalshi tries to defend the industry’s legal footing. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2026

Stocks kicked off September on shaky footing as higher oil prices and Treasury yields tested investors' appetite for some of the market's biggest artificial intelligence winners. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026

So in the minds of many voters, the candidates start out on equal footing. — Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 5 Sep. 2026

In the original March public request for proposals, the district said an evaluation panel would rank the applicants on a point system, based on metrics including company history, the developer’s financial footing and the overall project proposal. — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing footing

• on an equal footing
• on firm ground/footing
• war footing

Rhymes for footing

• outputting

Kids Definition

footing

noun

foot·​ing ˈfu̇t-iŋ 

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