footing
Americannoun
-
footings
plural
-
the basis or foundation on which anything is established.
-
the act of one who moves on foot, as in walking or dancing.
-
a secure and established position.
-
a place or support for the feet; surface to stand on; foothold.
-
a firm placing of the feet; stability.
He regained his footing.
-
Building Trades, Civil Engineering. the part of a foundation bearing directly upon the earth.
-
position or status assigned to a person, group, etc., in estimation or treatment.
-
mutual standing; reciprocal relation.
to be on a friendly footing with someone.
-
entrance into a new position or relationship.
to gain a footing in society.
-
a fee demanded from a person upon entrance into a trade, society, etc.
-
the act of adding a foot to something, as to a stocking.
-
that which is added as a foot.
-
the act of adding up a column of figures.
-
the total of such a column.
noun
-
the basis or foundation on which something is established
the business was on a secure footing
-
the relationship or status existing between two persons, groups, etc
the two countries were on a friendly footing
-
a secure grip by or for the feet
-
the lower part of a foundation of a column, wall, building, etc
-
-
the act of adding a column of figures
-
the total obtained
-
-
rare a fee paid upon entrance into a craft, society, etc, or such an entrance itself
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of footing
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at foot, -ing 1
Explanation
Your footing is a supportive place to put your feet when you climb or balance. Once you find your footing at the top of a mountain, you can look around and enjoy the view. Your literal footing is what keeps you sturdy, and if you lose that footing, you stumble. Figuratively, your footing is your status or position, especially when compared to other people. So if every student in your class is on an equal footing, it means your teacher gives them all the same amount of attention and treats them fairly.
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.
See Examples For:
At the St. Petersburg Economic Forum in June, Mr. Shuvalov pushed back against hawkish speakers who advocated putting the country on a war footing with state management of the economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
They take the olive groves and the goats and the summer houses, and they take the makeshift shelters and the fragile new footing of people who had already lost everything once.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
Novo has struggled to regain its footing against Lilly, an aggressive and strategic competitor in the GLP-1 market.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
He said the change would "lower the cost of travel at a critical time for teenagers, whether they're pursuing further education, vocational pathways or getting their footing in the jobs market".
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Above him on the roof, Dunwing had lost her footing.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
In Ada Louise Huxtable’s architecture writing, buildings whirl off their footings and built interiors entice us to dance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026
Mark Felling, an electrical engineer and paid expert in the case, testified that he found that the size of the cement footings under the towers along the line varied by a factor of 10.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2025
"The shallow footings of the garages have meant that the archaeological features have been well preserved and many of the finds are in excellent condition," a spokesman said.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2023
At this point, BlueOval City is a big dig, with thousands of construction workers boring deep holes for foundation footings using gargantuan drills that would look at home in a “Mad Max” movie.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 25, 2022
They sat on concrete footings, with about two feet of open space between the floorboards and the ground.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
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.
