stepped down; stepping down; steps down
1
: to lower (a voltage) by means of a transformer
… voltages as high as two hundred and thirty thousand volts … which were carried by high-voltage power lines from generating plants, were being stepped down by large transformers to thirteen thousand volts …—Paul Brodeur
2
: to decrease or reduce (something) especially by one or more steps
… you'll likely have to step down the graphics a bit if you prefer more frames per second …—Ian Paul
variants
or step down
or less commonly stepdown
plural step-downs or step downs also stepdowns
: a decrease or reduction (as in size or amount) and especially one that is gradual or incremental
a dosage step-down
After several months of heavy investments, Amazon said it expects coronavirus-related costs to decelerate. … [Amazon CFO Brian] Olsavsky attributed the step down in Covid costs to a shift in volume.—Annie Palmer
That tax credit was scheduled to expire in 2019 but will now expire in 2025, with stepdowns toward the end of the program.—Alaska Dispatch News
1
electrical engineering
: serving to decrease voltage
a step-down transformer
2
medical
: providing or offering a reduced level of care or service
step-down drug rehab programs
specifically
: providing an intermediate level of care and monitoring especially for patients transitioning out of intensive care
a cardiac step-down unit
… a portable, mechanical driver that can power patients' artificial hearts and enable them to recover outside the hospital environment, including at home and at step-down facilities. —Anne Buckley
Cite this Entry
“Step down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/step%20down. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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