by small degrees, increments, or stages; gradually.
by completing one task or action at a time toward the accomplishment of a goal.
by taking one step after another with the feet, or at a slow, deliberate walking pace.
giving or involving one task or action at a time toward a goal.
happening or done by small degrees, increments, or stages; gradual.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Evolution does not aim for perfection; it works with what is available, modifying structures step by step.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
"That is why we are doing it carefully, step by step -- for what we can predict," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
“The Verdict” lays out, step by step, how the trial ended in Jackson’s full acquittal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
During the demolition, she writes, “I received pictures of the destruction step by step from people in DC. I could barely look.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
Even after the two owls alighted, even after he watched them disappear like feathered ghosts into the ground, Officer Delinko continued moving away, backing up step by step until...
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
I like to enjoy my noods in soup form, but you can also follow this step-by-step process for stir-fried noodles.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
At its annual developer conference, Microsoft Build, the group unveiled MAI-Thinking-1, its first "reasoning" model -- AI systems that break down problems step-by-step before responding, similar to offerings from OpenAI, Google or Anthropic.
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
In recent decades, so-called scrum teams—cross-functional groups focused on deploying and iterating quickly—have replaced a slower, step-by-step engineering methodology known as “waterfall.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
A step-by-step process will need to be undertaken before the station can re-open.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026
“Plan to meet to begin a step-by-step investigation, a community support program, and bring in the legal team, and see what the next steps are.”
From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely
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.
