as in reduction
the amount by which something is lessened
took a huge step-down in income when she switched from a law career to one in social work
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Recent Examples of step-down
Ketler spent four days in the intensive care unit and then another 10 in the step-down unit before he was transported to a rehab facility.
—
Luke Chinman, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics revisions show a sharp slowdown in payroll growth in the second quarter of 2025, with the biggest step-downs in low-wage industries such as retail, wholesale, leisure, and hospitality.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2025
Each voltage conversion comes with some energy loss, so the goal is to accomplish this step-down in as few conversions as possible.
—Steven Woo, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
The Idaho Department of Correction implemented a step-down program that gradually transitions inmates from solitary confinement to a more open environment, KBOI reported.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for step-down
Luke Chinman, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics revisions show a sharp slowdown in payroll growth in the second quarter of 2025, with the biggest step-downs in low-wage industries such as retail, wholesale, leisure, and hospitality.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2025
Each voltage conversion comes with some energy loss, so the goal is to accomplish this step-down in as few conversions as possible.
—Steven Woo, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
The Idaho Department of Correction implemented a step-down program that gradually transitions inmates from solitary confinement to a more open environment, KBOI reported.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for step-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for step-down
Noun
-
The company strips out nonessential systems and designs each component around mass reduction.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
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On Wednesday, city leaders said the strategy has driven the recent crime reduction.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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If funding for health decreases by 20 percent, 12 million more children could die by 2045.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
9 Jan. 2026
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The south and southwest suburbs saw a 35% decrease in homicides in 2025 compared to 2024, according to tracking by the Daily Southtown, reflecting a continuing downward trend in recent years.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Mix a combination of two teaspoons of cream of tartar and a few drops of lemon juice to form a paste.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
10 Jan. 2026
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Reformation Lluvia Dress As Reformation gears up for its 2026 collection drops, the store is marking down some of last year’s best-selling sweaters, dresses, shoes, and pants.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Wholesale market prices for milk, cheese and butter have been lower than normal for about a year, but had more of a significant decline in the past six months, Cain said.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
9 Jan. 2026
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Today, similar prudence animates concerns about NATO and broader trans-Atlantic ties in an era when Europe has undergone profound transformations through mass migration, supranational governance, demographic decline, and shifting cultural priorities.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Additionally, the federal tax credit could be bundled with local incentives for more savings, putting a serious dent in the total costs of an electric vehicle purchase.—
Charles Singh,
Nashville Tennessean,
7 Nov. 2025
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The dent was big enough for a Stop Sale on the tomato sauce.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Step-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step-down. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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