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

He's even followed in Keery's musical footsteps, starting his own band The Aubreys in 2019. —Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025

First walked by pilgrims following in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi, like the Camino de Santiago that threads the breadth of Spain, the Via Lauretana winds through Umbria’s quiet interior, linking Assisi to Loreto, located just across the border in Marche on the Adriatic coast. —Laura May Todd, Vogue, 21 Dec. 2025

Other hospitality companies are now following in Neamatalla’s footsteps, notably Egyptian luxury operator Kazazian, which is best known for its sleek, modern charter boats on the Nile. —Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 21 Dec. 2025

Now Witherspoon will try to follow in his footsteps. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025

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