baby step

American

noun

(in the game of giant steps) the shortest step permitted a player, executed by placing the heel of one foot against the toe of the other and drawing the back foot up to the front foot.

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.

LOS ANGELES—Gov. Gavin Newsom took a baby step toward addressing California’s affordability crisis on Friday by announcing the state would begin providing free diapers to newborns.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Kyle Humphrey, who works on "High Potential," said the Blurries are "a baby step towards that."

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

And from there, it’s just a baby step to “picking the man and then searching the law books, or putting investigators to work, to pin some offense on him.”

From Slate • Sep. 26, 2025

It was a baby step toward re-engaging with the real world.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2024

You just take one baby step in any direction and you’re already there.

From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023