step down

1 of 3

verb

stepped down; stepping down; steps down

intransitive verb

: to withdraw from one's position or occupation : retire, resign
League commissioner Pete Rozelle … announced his intention to step down after 29 years on the job—his retirement becomes effective upon selection of a successor …Richard Demak and Jerry Kirshenbaum
… the general would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution.Brian Duffy et al.

transitive verb

1
: to lower (a voltage) by means of a transformer
… voltages as high as two hundred and thirty thousand volts … which were carried by high-voltage power lines from generating plants, were being stepped down by large transformers to thirteen thousand volts …Paul Brodeur
2
: to decrease or reduce (something) especially by one or more steps
As This Old House's plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey points out, the installer has to carefully step down the size of the ducts so there's even air pressure at all the room outlets.Scott Gibson

step-down

2 of 3

noun

variants or step down or less commonly stepdown
plural step-downs or step downs also stepdowns
: a decrease or reduction (as in size or amount) and especially one that is gradual or incremental
a dosage step-down
After several months of heavy investments, Amazon said it expects coronavirus-related costs to decelerate. … [Amazon CFO Brian] Olsavsky attributed the step down in Covid costs to a shift in volume.Annie Palmer
That tax credit was scheduled to expire in 2019 but will now expire in 2025, with stepdowns toward the end of the program.Alaska Dispatch News

step-down

3 of 3

adjective

1
electrical engineering : serving to decrease voltage
a step-down transformer
2
medical : providing or offering a reduced level of care or service
step-down drug rehab programs
specifically : providing an intermediate level of care and monitoring especially for patients transitioning out of intensive care
a cardiac step-down unit
… a portable, mechanical driver that can power patients' artificial hearts and enable them to recover outside the hospital environment, including at home and at step-down facilities. Anne Buckley

Examples of step down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Company Town Rupert Murdoch, the powerful and polarizing media mogul, steps down as chairman of Fox Sept. 21, 2023 Murdoch launched the Fox network with the intention of competing with the Big Three television networks — ABC, CBS and NBC. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023 Williams stepped down for personal reasons and is not involved in any criminal legal action, his attorney said. Natalie Kainz, NBC News, 21 Sep. 2023 McMahon stepped down in July 2022 after the Journal exposé, and was succeeded by his daughter, longtime WWE executive Stephanie McMahon, and former CAA agent Nick Khan as co-CEOs. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 20 Sep. 2023 Best Restaurants on Nevis Sunshine's Beach Bar & Grill Located just steps down the beach from the Four Seasons Resort Nevis, Sunshine's Beach Bar & Grill is a favorite of residents and visitors alike with great food, cocktails, and a lively atmosphere. Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2023 Rosenblatt stepped down from Foursquare five years ago to start working with startups alongside Rahn and Handler. Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2023 Brandenburg stepped down from FanX in 2018, and sold his share of the event in 2019. Palak Jayswal, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Sep. 2023 Barely a year later, in 2021, Daniel Lee stepped down as the Italian house’s creative director. Laura May Todd, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023 Walker-Webb’s predecessor, Stephanie Ybarra, stepped down as artistic director in March. Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 18 Sep. 2023
Noun
The state helped launch four intensive psychiatric step-down programs, the first of their kind for foster youth in Texas. Robert T. Garrett, Dallas News, 8 Sep. 2023 From there, glassy doors on each side of the foyer open to a step-down living room sporting a stylish fireplace and two sets of French doors flowing out to an al fresco dining and lounging terrace, and spacious formal dining room. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2023 The project mined local boulders to create more natural step-down structures so fish, tubers and anglers can move freely up and down the stream. Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Aug. 2023 From there, a step-down living room sports hardwood floors, a baronial fireplace, and French doors spilling out to a balcony overlooking an eye-catching pool and spa. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 16 Aug. 2023 Inmates within the step-down program will be allowed access to TV, radio, commissary, and educational materials and services designed to help them with their rehabilitation. Alexa Gagosz, BostonGlobe.com, 20 July 2023 Four bedrooms, four and a half baths, a step-down library adjoining the living room. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 31 Jan. 2023 Generally, that means picking the trail that’s least steep, doesn’t feature any large step-downs, or consists of wide, curving switchbacks instead of precipitous slopes. Alisha McDarris, Popular Science, 29 June 2023 Even with the step-down S Class, TCL highlights the metal bezel-less design, which is available as far down as its 32-inch 720p S2 model. Chris Welch, The Verge, 15 May 2023
Adjective
Some hospitals have a step-down unit, which provides an intermediate level of care that is less intense than the ICU while providing closer care than the regular unit. James Lacy, Verywell Health, 28 Mar. 2023 The primary bathroom also features a step-down shower with a view of the mountains. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'step down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1875, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1905, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of step down was in 1875

Dictionary Entries Near step down

Cite this Entry

“Step down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/step%20down. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

step down

verb
(ˈ)step-ˈdau̇n
1
: to lower the voltage of (a current) using a transformer
2
: to decrease or reduce especially by one or more steps
stepped down the volume
3
: resign sense 2, retire
will step down as chairman at the end of this year
step-down
-ˌdau̇n
adjective

Medical Definition

step-down

1 of 2 adjective
: providing or offering a reduced level of care or service
step-down drug rehab programs
specifically : providing an intermediate level of care and monitoring especially for patients transitioning out of intensive care
Our group practice rotates us in 3-week stints through various critical and step-down units. The Journal of the American Medical Association

step-down

2 of 2 noun
variants or step down
: a decrease or reduction in size or amount
a dosage step-down

More from Merriam-Webster on step down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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