footstep

noun

foot·​step ˈfu̇t-ˌstep 

1

: the mark of the foot : track

2

a

: tread

b

: distance covered by a step : pace

3

: a step on which to ascend or descend

4

: a way of life, conduct, or action

followed in their father's footsteps

Synonyms of footstep

• footprint
• step

Examples of footstep in a Sentence

She slowly took one footstep toward the frightened animal.

It's five footsteps from the bedroom to the bathroom.

Recent Examples on the Web

The administration of Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier is following in the footsteps of its predecessor by squandering taxpayers’ money to conceal information from the public that the public has the absolute right to know. —David Plymyer, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2026

Born March 21, 1940 in Yonkers, New York, Taylor initially followed in his father Elmer Voight’s professional golfing footsteps before dropping out of college and moving back to NYC to pursue a music career, signing with April Blackwood, which later became EMI and then Sony Music. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026

De'Aaron Fox is following in their footsteps. —Tom Orsborn, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Mar. 2026

From medieval European cities to the American Southwest, these five destinations let families walk in the footsteps of beloved characters without a blockbuster price tag. —Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for footstep

• bicep
• doorstep
• instep
• lockstep
• misstep
• sidestep
• cep
• hep
• pep
• prep
• rep
• sep

Kids Definition

footstep

noun

foot·​step -ˌstep 

1

a

: a step of the foot

b

: the distance covered by a step : pace

2

a

: the mark of the foot

b

: the sound of a footstep

3

: a step on which to go up or down