stepping-stone

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The green group said the corridor follows the "stepping stone" connectivity model developed by Bugslife, which shows that habitat patches no more than 300m apart can restore ecosystems at a landscape scale.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Although the astronauts will not land on the moon, Artemis II mimics early Apollo missions that were designed as a stepping stone to test all of the equipment and procedures before making the daring landing.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

"It's a stepping stone to Mars, where we might have the most likelihood of finding evidence of past life, but it's also a Rosetta Stone for how other solar systems form."

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

For Painter, whose program thrives by developing players year-over-year instead of serving as a stepping stone for future NBA stars, Smith’s evolution has been the perfect proof of concept.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

That’s when I notice a crate, a stepping stone to the top of the wall.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari