footstep

noun

foot·​step ˈfu̇t-ˌstep 

1

: the mark of the foot : track

2

a

: tread

b

: distance covered by a step : pace

3

: a step on which to ascend or descend

4

: a way of life, conduct, or action

followed in his father's footsteps

Synonyms

• footmark
• footprint
• step
• trace
• vestige

Examples of footstep in a Sentence

She slowly took one footstep toward the frightened animal.

It's five footsteps from the bedroom to the bathroom.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the Everton commission has been a unique experience because of how involved the fans have been and the weighty task of following in Leitch’s footsteps. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 17 May 2025

This year, Academy Award-winning actress and L’Oréal Paris ambassador Viola Davis joins as Juror, following in the footsteps of Elle Fanning and Kate Winslet. —Catherine Santino, People.com, 16 May 2025

Fiennes follows in the footsteps of the late Donald Sutherland, who portrayed Coriolanus Snow in the series’ first four films that kicked off with The Hunger Games hitting theaters in 2012. —Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025

Pretty solid decision, as Culpepper’s well on his way to planting his soles directly in his family’s footsteps. —Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 16 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for footstep

• bicep
• doorstep
• instep
• lockstep
• misstep
• sidestep
• cep
• hep
• pep
• prep
• rep
• sep

Kids Definition

footstep

noun

foot·​step -ˌstep 

1

a

: a step of the foot

b

: the distance covered by a step : pace

2

a

: the mark of the foot

b

: the sound of a footstep

3

: a step on which to go up or down