What does "step" mean?

1. (movement of the foot) the movement you make by lifting your foot and putting it down in a new place when walking. 2. (a stair) a flat surface that you walk on to go up or down to a different level. 3. (part of a process) one action in a series of actions that you take to achieve something. 4. (musical interval) the distance in pitch between two notes that are next to each other. 5. (family member) a short way to say stepchild or stepsibling. 6. (to move the foot) to lift your foot and put it down in a different place. 7. (to be confrontational) to challenge someone or act like you want to fight.

step — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01movement of the foot

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. the movement you make by lifting your foot and putting it down in a new place when walking.

n. a single complete movement of the foot in walking or running, involving a change in position.

“He took a step forward to get a better look at the painting.”

“With every step she took across the gravel path, the crunching sound echoed through the silent garden.”

Synonyms

pace stride

02a stair

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. a flat surface that you walk on to go up or down to a different level.

n. a flat surface, especially one in a series, for the foot in ascending or descending.

“Be careful on the bottom step because the wood is a bit loose.”

“The grand marble staircase consisted of thirty wide steps, each polished to a mirror-like finish that made the climb feel precarious.”

Synonyms

stair tread rung

03part of a process

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. one action in a series of actions that you take to achieve something.

n. a distinct stage or phase in a multi-part process or sequence of actions.

“The first step in making a cake is to preheat the oven.”

“Securing a reliable supplier is a critical step toward ensuring the long-term viability of the manufacturing project.”

Synonyms

stage phase measure

04musical interval

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Music Technical

n. the distance in pitch between two notes that are next to each other.

n. the interval between two contiguous degrees of a musical scale.

“In a major scale, the distance between the first and second notes is a whole step.”

“The melody moves primarily by step, avoiding large leaps to maintain a smooth and lyrical vocal quality.”

Synonyms

tone interval

05family member

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal

n. a short way to say stepchild or stepsibling.

n. a colloquial clipping for a relative related by a parent's remarriage rather than blood.

“She gets along really well with her step and they go hiking every weekend.”

“While the legal documents specified 'stepchildren', the family simply referred to them as the 'steps' in casual conversation.”

Synonyms

stepchildstepsibling

06to move the foot

A2 · Elementary

v. to lift your foot and put it down in a different place.

v. to move by lifting the foot and setting it down again in a new position; often used with directional particles.

“Please step aside so the people behind you can see the screen.”

“He stepped cautiously onto the frozen lake, testing the thickness of the ice with his weight before proceeding further.”

Synonyms

tread walk

07to be confrontational

C1 · Advanced Slang

v. to challenge someone or act like you want to fight.

v. to behave in a confrontational or aggressive manner toward someone.

“He was acting tough and trying to step to me in front of his friends.”

“The rival gang member tried to step to the leader, but the tension was defused before a physical altercation occurred.”

Synonyms

challenge confront

Antonyms

back down

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “step” in context.

01. step back 02. step forward 03. step away 04. step in the right 05. additional step 06. critical step 07. crucial step 08. following step 09. important step 10. step closer 11. step of the way 12. steps to address

“Each step delivers an irregular burst of energy that the electronics cannot use directly.”

Discover Magazine 2 Oct 2026

“If you’d like to protect your heart, walk an extra 1,000 steps today, especially if you have high blood pressure.”

The Washington Post 8 Sept 2026

“People are often encouraged to clock up 10,000 steps a day as part of a healthy routine, but scientists found 3,000 steps or more appeared to delay the brain changes and cognitive decline that Alzheimer’s patients experience.”

The Guardian 3 Nov 2025

From Middle English steppen, from Old English steppan (“to step, go, proceed, advance”), stepe (“step”), from Proto-West Germanic stappjan, from Proto-Germanic stapjaną (“to step”), stapiz (“step”), from Proto-Indo-European stebʰ- (“to support, stomp, curse, be amazed”). Cognate with West Frisian stappe (“to step”), North Frisian stape (“to walk, trudge”), Dutch stappen (“to step, walk”), Walloon steper (“to walk away, leave”), German stapfen (“to trudge, stomp, plod”) and further to Slavic Polish stąpać (“to stomp, stamp, step, tread”), Russian ступать (stupatʹ) and Polish stopień (“step, stair, rung, degree”), Russian степень (stepenʹ). Related to stamp, stomp.

Clipping of stepchild and stepsibling.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

NOUN

step(A2)

PHRASAL VERB

step in(B2)