steppingstone
Americannoun
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a stone, or one of a line of stones, in shallow water, a marshy place, or the like, that is stepped on in crossing.
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a stone for use in mounting or ascending.
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any means or stage of advancement or improvement.
She looked on the governorship as a steppingstone to the presidency.
Etymology
Origin of steppingstone
Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325
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.
As more women took traditional corporate jobs outside the home, schools eliminated home-economics programs, which were a steppingstone to becoming a professional tailor or seamstress.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
Like Muniz, Breidinger sees the truck series, the third tier of NASCAR’s national racing series, as a steppingstone to a seat in a Cup car.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 27, 2025
The part-time work can also be a steppingstone toward a full-time position.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 5, 2024
The advance provides a steppingstone to the eventual construction of sophisticated, self-assembling devices at the nanoscale -- roughly the size of a single virus.
From Science Daily • May 20, 2024
I uncovered a single steppingstone, slightly worn, that led nowhere, yet lay as a subtle ap-pendage to the small rock garden.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
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.
