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

Now on firmer footing, Lilly shares have outpaced the S&P 500 year to date, with a nearly 36% gain. —Sean Conlon,pia Singh, CNBC, 20 Nov. 2025

Barron's Story showed a picture of him defending Kelce, 36, during the game on Sunday, with the Bronco leaping into the air as Kelce appears to be losing his footing. —Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 20 Nov. 2025

Impact shows up in first leases, first jobs, and kids finding their footing. —Emily Bramhall, Miami Herald, 20 Nov. 2025

The Cavs are starting to find their footing after a slow start to the season, winning seven of their past nine to now sit at second in the Eastern Conference with a 10-5 record. —Mirin Fader, New York Times, 19 Nov. 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