doorstep

noun

door·​step ˈdȯr-ˌstep How to pronounce doorstep (audio)
: a step before an outer door
Phrases
on one's doorstep
: close at hand
especially : too close to be overlooked

Examples of doorstep in a Sentence

We sat on the doorstep. The police were at my doorstep.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
From the ongoing government shutdown to a national redistricting fight dropped on Indiana's proverbial doorstep and a 2026 statewide race already heating up, it's been anything but. Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 24 Oct. 2025 And also sign up for our free Survivor newsletter to have all the goodies sent right to your digital doorstep. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025 In the second incident, Bramnick said police showed up at the family's front doorstep, with the 17-year-old murder suspect parked in front of their house. Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025 To believe otherwise is to divert one’s gaze, naively, hoping others will manage the problem, keeping it from your doorstep — in defiance of the medicine and simple math. Eric Snoey, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for doorstep

Word History

First Known Use

1767, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of doorstep was in 1767

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doorstep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doorstep. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

doorstep

noun
door·​step -ˌstep How to pronounce doorstep (audio)
: a step or series of steps before an outer door

More from Merriam-Webster on doorstep

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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