footing

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

Synonyms of footing

• basis
• foundation
• bedrock
• cornerstone

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

Bitcoin has not convincingly regained its footing from the October flash liquidation, sitting some 30% below its peak above $124,000 ten weeks ago. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2025

Requiem’s signature achievement is its multinational perspective, placing Vietnamese and foreign photographers on equal memorial footing. —Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025

And still, crypto can’t seem to find its footing. —Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025

Firefox has just 2% to 3% of a market dominated by Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari, and its footing is weaker on mobile devices. —Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

• inputting
• 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