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
White saw his numbers take a step up as his offensive usage increased with Porzingis out of the lineup most of the playoffs.
—
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 June 2024
On its face, the move could be seen as a step down.
—Ken Belson, New York Times, 2 June 2024
In 2019, an accrediting agency gave the school provisional accreditation, a step down from full accreditation.
—Theresa Clift, Sacramento Bee, 31 May 2024
That's already a step up from the M2, which has only 20 billion transistors across eight total cores.
—PCMAG, 25 May 2024
Isn’t folding clothes a step down for a company executive?
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
Political consultant/producer Andy Cohen has glamorized the catfight — a step down from Clare Boothe Luce’s The Women.
—Armond White, National Review, 22 May 2024
Advertisement Larry decided last month to enter the NCAA transfer portal, eyeing a school closer to home, a step up in competition — and a scholarship.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 May 2024
That’s a step up from an educational hearing, one of which the subcommittee held last March.
—Steve Berkowitz, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 June 2024
On its face, the move could be seen as a step down.
—Ken Belson, New York Times, 2 June 2024
In 2019, an accrediting agency gave the school provisional accreditation, a step down from full accreditation.
—Theresa Clift, Sacramento Bee, 31 May 2024
That's already a step up from the M2, which has only 20 billion transistors across eight total cores.
—PCMAG, 25 May 2024
Isn’t folding clothes a step down for a company executive?
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
Political consultant/producer Andy Cohen has glamorized the catfight — a step down from Clare Boothe Luce’s The Women.
—Armond White, National Review, 22 May 2024
Advertisement Larry decided last month to enter the NCAA transfer portal, eyeing a school closer to home, a step up in competition — and a scholarship.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 May 2024
That’s a step up from an educational hearing, one of which the subcommittee held last March.
—Steve Berkowitz, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'a step up/down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near 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 11 Jun. 2024.
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