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Synonyms

stepping stone

British  

noun

  1. one of a series of stones acting as footrests for crossing streams, marshes, etc

  2. a circumstance that assists progress towards some goal

"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

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.

For now, Cole just wants to repay the faith rather than see Cesena as a stepping stone to home.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

And this is another stepping stone, to get to finally act on screen together.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

This is a stepping stone to the building of a multi-sided marketplace, the note says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

Brunson said the win was a stepping stone as the Knicks approach the midpoint of the season in third place in the Eastern Conference, behind the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

That’s when I notice a crate, a stepping stone to the top of the wall.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari

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.