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

The stock was a pandemic darling that cratered, went through a messy acquisition saga, had activist investors at the door, and churned sideways while the rest of biotech tried to find its footing. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026

Economic growth has also been on solid footing, though an increasing share of it has been driven by red-hot spending on AI — some of which is now being propelled by credit. — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2026

The news is likely quite welcome at the National Gallery, which, like many arts institutions around the world, has struggled to regain its financial footing years after the Covid-19 crisis. — News Desk, Artforum, 16 Sep. 2026

Capricorn December 22 – January 19 Quiet planning restores your solid footing. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 16 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