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• step-down
  step-down

  adjective

  serving to reduce or decrease voltage.
• step down
  step down

  verb

  (tr) to reduce gradually

step-down

American  

[step-doun] / ˈstɛpˌdaʊn /

adjective

Electricity.

1. serving to reduce or decrease voltage.

   a step-down transformer.

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step down British  

verb

1. (tr) to reduce gradually

2. informal (intr) to resign or abdicate (from a position)

3. informal (intr) to assume an inferior or less senior position

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adjective

1. (of a transformer) reducing a high voltage applied to the primary winding to a lower voltage on the secondary winding Compare step up

2. decreasing or falling by stages

noun

1. informal a decrease in quantity or size

step down Idioms  

1. Resign from office, as in He threatened to step down if they continued to argue with him . [Late 1800s]

2. Reduce, especially in stages, as in They were stepping down the voltage . [c. 1900] Also see step up , def. 1.

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Etymology

Origin of step-down

First recorded in 1890–95; adj. use of verb phrase step down

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

step-down step down

This and a step-down in exits meant EQT’s fee-generating assets under management at the end of the first half exceeded expectations by 10 billion euros at 155.4 billion euros, the analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Still, revenue fell by roughly $678 million from the prior quarter, given Covid seasonality and a step-down in vaccination rates from 2025, Tsai noted.

From Barron's ● May 1, 2026

Conventional step-down converters often struggle when dealing with large differences between input and output voltage.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 10, 2026

Another factor to consider: Are there any big expenses coming up that coincide with your sabbatical or step-down?

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 4, 2026

When the current reaches those places where it is to be used a low voltage is again obtained by the step-down transformer.

From The Niagara River by Hulbert, Archer Butler

Speaking of his decision to step down he added it should not "be mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me".

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Google's head of AI, Demis Hassabis, will step down from his current role to become Alphabet's chief scientist amid a reshuffling at DeepMind that will also include a key engineer's departure.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

She might want to spare herself the scrutiny and step down, making room for a suitable replacement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

The belief that a move is within reach is not connected to Eddie Howe's decision to step down from his role as Newcastle head coach.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

She took her first step down the dark corridor.

From "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman

Related Words

• abandon
• abdicate
• bow out
• drop out
• leave
• quit
• retire
• terminate