# step over

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/step-over
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

to lift your foot and move it across something so you do not touch it.

For teachers: to move by lifting the foot above and across an obstacle. Transitive in this sense, requiring a direct object representing the physical barrier or person on the ground.

## Examples

- Please step over the puddle so you don't get wet.
- The hallway was full of toys, so I had to carefully step over the blocks to reach the door.
- The hikers had to step over several fallen trunks that had obstructed the narrow mountain path during the recent storm.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a noun phrase representing a physical object on the ground.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'step on' (contact) and 'step across' (often used for wider spaces like streams); this is a literal movement verb often confused with the figurative 'overstep'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.