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 filled our water bottles in a large, clear lake set in smooth granite, crossed a stream using stepping stones, and started up a winding path that rose to a series of switchbacks.—
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
The film was a huge stepping stone for a slew of performers like Donald Faison, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Jeremy Sisto, and others.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 8 May 2025
But one strategy that can help, according to Smith-Osei, is mentally reframing your current role as a temporary stepping stone to something better, rather than a forever situation.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 5 May 2025
The idea is that more interim housing, which can be constructed faster and cheaper compared to a permanent housing unit, would provide a crucial stepping stone to Californians living in tents or sleeping on sidewalks.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
While holding the Intercontinental Title is an impressive accomplishment, many within the wrestling world believe that this is merely a stepping stone for Breakker, hinting at an even brighter future on WWE's main roster.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
But for Katie Gold and Yu Jiang of Cornell University, a smart robot that can monitor crop health better and more safely than any human is only a stepping stone to something cosmically larger.
—Hope Hodge Seck, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
But for many, the ultimate goal is something bigger—using education as a stepping stone to long-term residency and, in some cases, a second passport.
—Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Once seen as a stepping stone to homeownership, renting is now a lifestyle choice for many financially savvy professionals.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 3 Apr. 2025
While Apple continues to iterate on its Vision Pro headset, these efforts are seen as stepping stones toward the ultimate goal of AR glasses.
—Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 8 May 2025
But one strategy that can help, according to Smith-Osei, is mentally reframing your current role as a temporary stepping stone to something better, rather than a forever situation.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 5 May 2025
The idea is that more interim housing, which can be constructed faster and cheaper compared to a permanent housing unit, would provide a crucial stepping stone to Californians living in tents or sleeping on sidewalks.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
While holding the Intercontinental Title is an impressive accomplishment, many within the wrestling world believe that this is merely a stepping stone for Breakker, hinting at an even brighter future on WWE's main roster.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
But for Katie Gold and Yu Jiang of Cornell University, a smart robot that can monitor crop health better and more safely than any human is only a stepping stone to something cosmically larger.
—Hope Hodge Seck, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
But for many, the ultimate goal is something bigger—using education as a stepping stone to long-term residency and, in some cases, a second passport.
—Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Once seen as a stepping stone to homeownership, renting is now a lifestyle choice for many financially savvy professionals.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 3 Apr. 2025
While Apple continues to iterate on its Vision Pro headset, these efforts are seen as stepping stones toward the ultimate goal of AR glasses.
—Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stepping stone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stepping%20stone. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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