stepping stone

noun

variants or less commonly stepping-stone

ˈste-piŋ-ˌstōn 

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

As 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

2

: 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

Each 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

Examples of stepping stone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Scientists believe this adaptation could also be an evolutionary stepping stone toward more terrestrial behavior in other species. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025

This is a stepping stone to hiring real help, not a permanent solution. —Amy Landino, Contributor, CNBC, 7 Jan. 2025

The private station would be a stepping stone to a larger, modular private space station, named Haven-2. —Andrew Jones, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2025

This transportable, pressurized underwater shelter, capable of housing up to three divers for periods ranging up to a week or so, will be a stepping stone to a more permanent modular habitat system—known as Sentinel—that is set to launch in 2027. —IEEE Spectrum, 31 Dec. 2024

His better-than-expected showing in the 1976 Iowa Democratic caucuses helped propel him to the White House and demonstrated how Iowa could be a stepping stone for gaining national political prominence, The Atlantic reported in 2016. —Jason Clayworth, Axios, 29 Dec. 2024

The Madrean Sky Islands, a smattering of tall borderlands ranges that rise where the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts meet, are critical stepping stones for migrating birds and some of America’s rarest mammals, who rely on the forests, springs and prey to survive their journeys. —Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 23 Dec. 2024

Meanwhile, 61% of medical students are contemplating careers outside clinical practice, viewing medical school as a stepping stone to other fields in healthcare. —Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024

Each success story serves as a stepping stone, encouraging further endeavors and reinforcing your dedication to personal growth. —Mo Hamzian, Rolling Stone, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

stepping-stone

noun

step·​ping-stone

ˈstep-iŋ-ˌstōn

1

: a stone on which to step (as in crossing a stream)

2

: something aiding in progress or advancement

a stepping-stone to success