stepwise
Americanadverb
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in a steplike arrangement.
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Music. from one adjacent tone to another.
The melody ascends stepwise.
adjective
adjective
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arranged in the manner of or resembling steps
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music proceeding by melodic intervals of a second
adverb
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with the form or appearance of steps; step by step
-
music in a stepwise motion
Etymology
Origin of stepwise
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.
A new study suggests that the human brain understands spoken language through a stepwise process that closely resembles how advanced AI language models operate.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 21, 2026
"We've come far, but not far enough," Jorgensen added in Tuesday's news conference, adding that measures to phase out Russian energy would be "stepwise and gradual" to minimise the impact on the EU.
From BBC ● May 6, 2025
Even before the meeting began Monday, South Korean Environment Minister Kim Wan-sup was trying to dial back expectations, telling reporters: “I believe it may be more realistic to pursue stepwise measures.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2024
After that, it was an inevitable stepwise return to the everyday stuff of living.
From Slate ● Nov. 26, 2023
It has the orderly, stepwise look of a well thought-out business.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
