Meaning & use
stepping stones
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“stepping stones” is a form of “stepping stone”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounusually plural
Flat stones set in a line across water or soft ground so that people can walk across without getting wet.
Grammar: Usually plural for the whole path: cross on the stepping stones.
Patterns
- stepping stones across something
The children crossed the stream on the stepping stones.
A line of stepping stones led through the wet grass to the shed.
We hopped carefully along the stepping stones over the pond.
nouncountablefigurative
Small achievements or experiences that lead gradually towards a larger goal.
Grammar: Countable and figurative: a stepping stone to something; several stepping stones.
Patterns
- stepping stones to something
- a stepping stone toward something
This internship is a stepping stone to a career in journalism.
Each small success became one of the stepping stones towards her degree.
He saw the junior role as a stepping stone to management.
Word forms
| singular | stepping stone |
|---|
Common combinations
- stepping stones to success
- Failures can be stepping stones to success.
- use as a stepping stone
- She used the small shop as a stepping stone to a larger business.
- cross on stepping stones
- We crossed the creek on stepping stones.
- a stepping stone to a career
- Volunteering was a stepping stone to a career in nursing.
- important stepping stones
- These exams are important stepping stones for university.
Synonyms and how they differ
- springboard
- A springboard suggests a quick, powerful launch, while a stepping stone suggests a slower step in a series.
- milestone
- A milestone marks a point reached, whereas a stepping stone helps you get further.
- building block
- A building block is a basic part of something larger, not a stage on the way to a goal.
Opposites
Word family
- stepping noun
- the action of walking in steps
- stone noun
- a hard piece of rock
- step noun
- one stage in a process
- stepping-stone adjective
- used before a noun to describe a transitional stage
Commonly confused: stepping stones or milestone?
stepping stones vs milestone
A milestone marks progress already made, but a stepping stone is a means of getting to the next stage.
Practice
Maria sees her part-time job as a ___ to becoming a full-time designer.
Choose one answer.
A stepping stone is a stage that leads onward. A stumbling block would be an obstacle, which is the opposite idea.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stepping stones”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.