stepping stone
Britishnoun
-
one of a series of stones acting as footrests for crossing streams, marshes, etc
-
a circumstance that assists progress towards some goal
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He was once phenomenal but he's now a stepping stone for younger fighters and a shell of the fighter he once was.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
Although the astronauts will not land on the moon, Artemis II mimics early Apollo missions that were designed as a stepping stone to test all of the equipment and procedures before making the daring landing.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
Brunson said the win was a stepping stone as the Knicks approach the midpoint of the season in third place in the Eastern Conference, behind the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics.
From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026
To another, it’s a stepping stone to adventure under and atop the waves.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 20, 2025
But that was itself a mere stepping stone to greater things.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
