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
Death Takes Me appears to have been a stepping stone to a more explicitly political confrontation with violence—one that refuses resignation and demands justice.
—Nicolás Medina Mora, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2025
Written by Thomas Lee, CEO at First Place for Youth
For many young adults, attending community college is a stepping stone to a brighter future.
—First Place For Youth, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Ultimately, the work is a stepping stone to that next thing.
—Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
So, the real trick to making a temporary reset meaningful—and not just a stepping stone to a real breakup?
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 24 Feb. 2025
Still, the chimp's contribution to space research is regarded today as a vital stepping stone in what would be extremely rapid development within the U.S. space program.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
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
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Nicolás Medina Mora, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2025
Written by Thomas Lee, CEO at First Place for Youth
For many young adults, attending community college is a stepping stone to a brighter future.
—First Place For Youth, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Ultimately, the work is a stepping stone to that next thing.
—Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
So, the real trick to making a temporary reset meaningful—and not just a stepping stone to a real breakup?
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 24 Feb. 2025
Still, the chimp's contribution to space research is regarded today as a vital stepping stone in what would be extremely rapid development within the U.S. space program.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Stepping stone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stepping%20stone. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.
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