stepping stone
noun
variants
or less commonly stepping-stone
plural stepping stones also stepping-stones
1
: a stone on which to step (as in crossing a stream or following a path)
We … crossed a stream using stepping stones, and started up a winding path …—
Joshua Rothman
Joshua RothmanAs in a Japanese garden, where stepping-stones force you to savor your stroll, you must watch every step and wind your way around the Japanese pines and beach grasses.—Stephen Drucker
Stephen Drucker2
: a means of progress or advancement
a stepping stone to success
But now many more see a political job as a stepping stone to money, power and influence.—Barbara Gamarekian
Barbara GamarekianEach person I talked to was to be a stepping-stone to the overall plan. It was my job to educate them so they would take their natural places in the plan.—Jane Smiley
Jane SmileyExamples of stepping stone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This ornamental thyme can be used to fill in the sandy spaces between stepping stones or crevices in rock walls.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
Municipal offices are often a stepping stone to higher office.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
That was a really big stepping stone for Team Canada to get that under its belt.
—Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
This 60th anniversary of the Super Bowl is just a stepping stone to the NFL reaching new audiences, bridging cultural divides, and expanding its reach globally.
—Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The director and his star explain how Marvel was their stepping stone to this survival horror movie.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
This is, in many ways, the stepping stone to a much larger trial, and that’s what’s expected.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 14 Jan. 2026
Separated by labyrinths of creeks and smaller cays, each one represents a stepping stone away from civilization, Parrish told me.
—Henry Wismayer, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2026
Ultimately, failure is not the end but a stepping stone toward success.
—Nancy Pulciano, Rolling Stone, 2 Jan. 2026
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Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
Municipal offices are often a stepping stone to higher office.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
That was a really big stepping stone for Team Canada to get that under its belt.
—Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
This 60th anniversary of the Super Bowl is just a stepping stone to the NFL reaching new audiences, bridging cultural divides, and expanding its reach globally.
—Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The director and his star explain how Marvel was their stepping stone to this survival horror movie.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
This is, in many ways, the stepping stone to a much larger trial, and that’s what’s expected.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 14 Jan. 2026
Separated by labyrinths of creeks and smaller cays, each one represents a stepping stone away from civilization, Parrish told me.
—Henry Wismayer, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2026
Ultimately, failure is not the end but a stepping stone toward success.
—Nancy Pulciano, Rolling Stone, 2 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stepping stone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stepping%20stone. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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