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Synonyms

footstep

American  
[foot-step] / ˈfʊtˌstɛp /

noun

  1. the setting down of a foot, or the sound so produced; footfall; tread.

  2. the distance covered by a step in walking; pace.

  3. a footprint.

  4. a step by which to ascend or descend.

idioms

  1. follow in someone's footsteps, to succeed or imitate another person.

footstep British  
/ ˈfʊtˌstɛp /

noun

  1. the action of taking a step in walking

  2. the sound made by stepping or walking

  3. the distance covered with a step; pace

  4. a footmark

  5. a single stair; step

  6. to continue the tradition or example of another

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
footstep More Idioms  

  1. see follow in someone's footsteps.

Etymology

Origin of footstep

First recorded in 1175–1225, footstep is from Middle English foote steppe. See foot, step

Vocabulary lists containing footstep

Spelling Practice 1, Unit 7

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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.

The duo went 1-2 in the 200, with Coleman beating his older teammate for the first time, edging him by a footstep, 21.01 to 21.27.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2023

“Hopefully, people will follow in the footstep of my brother Hazzaa and my footsteps,” al-Neyadi said, the flags for the UAE and its space center hanging behind him.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 7, 2023

They can be triggered by pressure, such as a footstep on or nearby the unit.

From Washington Post • Jan. 31, 2023

The thick deep pile carpet that has been laid on these ancient stones has seen to that - it muffles every footstep.

From BBC • Sep. 15, 2022

But today each footstep was a hammer pounding on her heart.

From "I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919" by Lauren Tarshis

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.