a step up/down
idiom
: more/less important, challenging, etc., than something had before
The new job is a step up/down for her.
Examples of a step up/down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pivetta has also taken a step up in his performance.
—
John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
With his future hanging in the balance, Robert will have to take a step up to find himself on a contender down the stretch.
—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
Some observers called the move to Florida a step down.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2025
Washington Capitals, won 4-1 against Montreal Last week: 7
Sean: 4
Dom: 9
Pierre-Luc Dubois had a fine first round, but zero goals and two assists were still a step down from his wonderful regular season.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for a step up/down
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
With his future hanging in the balance, Robert will have to take a step up to find himself on a contender down the stretch.
—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
Some observers called the move to Florida a step down.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2025
Washington Capitals, won 4-1 against Montreal Last week: 7
Sean: 4
Dom: 9
Pierre-Luc Dubois had a fine first round, but zero goals and two assists were still a step down from his wonderful regular season.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for a step up/down
Cite this Entry
“A step up/down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20step%20up%2Fdown. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share