stepping stone
Britishnoun
-
one of a series of stones acting as footrests for crossing streams, marshes, etc
-
a circumstance that assists progress towards some goal
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.
"The Moon is a kind of touchstone for us - and an important conceptual stepping stone on our way to Mercury."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026
In information published by Shein in July after a Hong Kong listing hearing— seen as a crucial stepping stone toward an IPO — the company addressed the so-called de minimis exemption.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
Ten-time Community Shield winner Sir Alex Ferguson said in 2011 he had always thought of the match simply "as a stepping stone" to the season ahead.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
That agreement was not intended as a final peace deal, but as a stepping stone to negotiations on a comprehensive agreement, though it did include provisions on Hormuz.
From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 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.
