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 his father's footsteps

Synonyms

• 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

Now, Patel is expanding into licensing, mentorship, and affiliate partnerships that empower other women to follow in her footsteps. —Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

Neighboring cities taking action Prairie Village followed in Leawood’s footsteps, which established its rules for e-bikes and e-scooters in 2023. —Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025

Sanders has started to follow in her mother's footsteps by modeling, while also boasting a significant following on social media. —Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

Bayrou will now be forced to step down after just nine months in office, following in the footsteps of his predecessor Michel Barnier, who lost a no-confidence vote last December. —Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 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