steppingstone
a stone, or one of a line of stones, in shallow water, a marshy place, or the like, that is stepped on in crossing.
a stone for use in mounting or ascending.
any means or stage of advancement or improvement: She looked on the governorship as a steppingstone to the presidency.
Origin of steppingstone
1Words Nearby steppingstone
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use steppingstone in a sentence
He spoke of all the good he would do after he used this military steppingstone to get into medical school.
He’s not in it for the ego or for recognition or any kind of steppingstone or some personal development goal.
After half a century in public life, Kerry gets one more shot | Matt Viser, Brady Dennis | April 21, 2021 | Washington PostYet, scientists say, those failures are often crucial steppingstones toward a better understanding of the disease and eventual treatments.
Science Might Finally Have a Fix for This Rare Blood Disorder | Nick Fouriezos | December 15, 2020 | OzyBesides being a steppingstone to diabetes, prediabetes raises a person’s risk for heart disease and stroke.
For those with prediabetes, dropping four to six pounds can cut the risk of getting diabetes | Linda Searing | November 23, 2020 | Washington PostThe there-and-back-again mission was a crucial steppingstone for the company on its path to sending a manned craft into the ether.
11 Cool Facts About SpaceX: Dragon, Microsoft, Investments & More | Matthew DeLuca | May 23, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
The ships going out of port were such a steppingstone to him, and a vague consciousness came back to him of having been in a ship.
A Simpleton | Charles Reade
British Dictionary definitions for stepping stone
one of a series of stones acting as footrests for crossing streams, marshes, etc
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
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