stepping stone
noun
variants
or less commonly stepping-stone
plural stepping stones also stepping-stones
1
: a stone on which to step (as in crossing a stream or following a path)
We filled our water bottles in a large, clear lake set in smooth granite, crossed a stream using stepping stones, and started up a winding path that rose to a series of switchbacks.—
Joshua Rothman
Joshua RothmanAs in a Japanese garden, where stepping-stones force you to savor your stroll, you must watch every step and wind your way around the Japanese pines and beach grasses.—Stephen Drucker
Stephen Drucker2
: a means of progress or advancement
a stepping stone to success
But now many more see a political job as a stepping stone to money, power and influence.—Barbara Gamarekian
Barbara GamarekianEach person I talked to was to be a stepping-stone to the overall plan. It was my job to educate them so they would take their natural places in the plan.—Jane Smiley
Jane SmileyExamples of stepping stone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The key factor will be how clearly the administration communicates its long-term vision for DOGE and whether this is a stepping stone to a permanent appointment or just a temporary fix.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
Last year, just 7% of executives left a job within six months—a number inflated by the 12% turnover rate of COOs, which the study says could signify the role’s prominence as a stepping stone to CEO.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
The agency is working to get astronauts to the moon via its Artemis program, viewing Earth's nearest neighbor as a stepping stone to the Red Planet.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2025
Mini twists have long been a stepping stone to a beautifully bouncy twist-out.
—Annie Blay, Allure, 13 Feb. 2025
Other leaders should follow this example to build resilience, foster innovation and turn setbacks into stepping stones for success.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 29 Jan. 2025
Sweeping away a ‘stepping stone’ to the middle class
Experts once charged with enforcing antidiscrimination within the government also fear that Trump’s anti-DEI orders threaten the trails blazed by civil servants like Powell and traversed by workers like Thompson.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025
The Xfinity Series, regarded as a stepping stone for aspiring drivers, has fostered the growth of many top-tier competitors including names like Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
Instead, turn the stumbling blocks into stepping stones on the path that leads to your success.
—Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
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Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
Last year, just 7% of executives left a job within six months—a number inflated by the 12% turnover rate of COOs, which the study says could signify the role’s prominence as a stepping stone to CEO.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
The agency is working to get astronauts to the moon via its Artemis program, viewing Earth's nearest neighbor as a stepping stone to the Red Planet.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2025
Mini twists have long been a stepping stone to a beautifully bouncy twist-out.
—Annie Blay, Allure, 13 Feb. 2025
Other leaders should follow this example to build resilience, foster innovation and turn setbacks into stepping stones for success.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 29 Jan. 2025
Sweeping away a ‘stepping stone’ to the middle class
Experts once charged with enforcing antidiscrimination within the government also fear that Trump’s anti-DEI orders threaten the trails blazed by civil servants like Powell and traversed by workers like Thompson.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025
The Xfinity Series, regarded as a stepping stone for aspiring drivers, has fostered the growth of many top-tier competitors including names like Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
Instead, turn the stumbling blocks into stepping stones on the path that leads to your success.
—Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stepping stone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stepping%20stone. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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