step by step
phrase
by small degrees, increments, or stages; gradually.
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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
"Brokers are an anchor during turbulent times as they can help borrowers keep abreast of changes and be there step by step when going through a mortgage application," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
The data showed that two of the most common mistakes were taking the medication daily instead of weekly and starting immediately with the highest dose instead of following the recommended step by step schedule.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
But after leaving a trail of bologna like Hansel and Gretel’s bread crumbs, I managed to get him to follow me, step by step, to the house.
From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor
They may initially allow small withdrawals to make the investment appear legitimate and provide step-by-step guidance on making larger deposits.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
AI agents -- systems that act autonomously to complete tasks rather than just responding to step-by-step prompts in a chatbot -- are hailed across the industry as the next chapter in AI.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 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
A step-by-step guide for where to put your money for your child’s future.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026
They were grabbing the hands of the kids who were trapped in the portable and pulling them up, step-by-step, to the edge of the hole.
From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor
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.
