To leave an official position or role, or to move to a physically lower level.
Leave your important job or position, or walk down from a higher place.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To voluntarily leave an important job or official position.
"The prime minister announced she would step down at the end of the month."
I have decided to step down as First Minister of Scotland.
— Nicola Sturgeon, resignation announcement, February 2023
To move physically downward, as from a stage, platform, or vehicle.
"He carefully stepped down from the podium after his speech."
To reduce an electrical voltage to a lower level (technical/engineering sense).
"A transformer is used to step down the voltage before it enters the building."
To physically step from a higher position to a lower one.
Leave your important job or position, or walk down from a higher place.
Extremely common in journalism and politics. 'Step down from' is the usual prepositional pattern when specifying the role. The physical sense is straightforward but less frequently noted.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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