step by step
phrase
by small degrees, increments, or stages; gradually.
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step-by-step process.
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step by step
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step-by-step
step-by-stepadjectivegiving or involving one task or action at a time toward a goal.
step by step
1 Americanphrase
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by small degrees, increments, or stages; gradually.
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by completing one task or action at a time toward the accomplishment of a goal.
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by taking one step after another with the feet, or at a slow, deliberate walking pace.
step-by-step
2
American
adjective
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giving or involving one task or action at a time toward a goal.
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happening or done by small degrees, increments, or stages; gradual.
step by step
Idioms
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:
Sit down with him and outline, step by step, how you work and what changes you’ve had to make to his work.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
The field is governed by precise logical rules, which allow proofs to be checked step by step.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
"We have to go step by step again, but we can't wait until we're physically top to start getting results," the Belgian said.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Evolution does not aim for perfection; it works with what is available, modifying structures step by step.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
It moves, feeling elastic as I move step by step.
From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Market Hulbert provided a step-by-step guide to setting up a retirement income stream for 30 years with a guaranteed inflation-adjusted withdrawal rate of 5%.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
It launched a series of so-called reasoning models in the fall of 2024 that were able to work through problems step-by-step before answering, a capability that turned out to be well-suited for writing code.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
The best way to think about it is a step-by-step route - picture a flow chart - that teenagers can follow from school into any given technical career.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
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
She doesn’t realize yet that one day she’s going to fail at something, and our mother will be there to critique exactly how she failed, step-by-step.
From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King
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.
