variants
or step downs
also stepdowns
as in decreases
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of step-downs
Some of the incumbent step-downs were due to the pursuit of a new job; in other cases, fresh initiatives dictated change.
—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
16 Feb. 2026
Men tend to age slowly with little step-downs, and women tend to have very sudden changes.
—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
27 Jan. 2026
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
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
16 Feb. 2026
Men tend to age slowly with little step-downs, and women tend to have very sudden changes.
—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
27 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for step-downs
Noun
-
However, this group saw meaningful decreases as well, falling from 73% in 2021 to 61% in 2025.
-
The number of condos available dropped by nearly 9%, an improvement from the April year-over-year comparison, but marking the fourth consecutive month of decreases since July 2023.
Noun
-
This is because many people tolerate the early dose reductions fairly well but struggle more near the end of the taper because the brain becomes increasingly sensitive to serotonin changes at lower doses.
-
Support for older adults in poverty Benefits that many low-income older Americans rely on are facing substantial reductions.
Noun
-
Gorgeous fragrance of wildflowers and pear drops with lots of juicy peach flavors on the palate, balanced by fresh acidity.
-
Some of the individuals charged in the indictment unsealed Wednesday were inmates at prisons around the country and used cellphones to schedule drops at various prisons.
Noun
-
Numerous theories have been thrown around to try shedding light on the more recent declines among males.
-
But those plans got shelved, first due to the recession and later due to countywide enrollment declines.
Noun
-
Watch for dents, broken springs, or light coming through, as these can strain parts and lead to bigger issues.
-
That French idiom about having long teeth — les dents longues — can have negative connotations about a person’s ambitious streak.
Cite this Entry
“Step-downs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step-downs. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
