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
This is a step down from the core counts offered for both Meteor Lake and some earlier 13th-generation Core CPUs (the fastest Meteor Lake chops had six P-cores and eight E-cores), and many of Intel's charts indicate that Lunar Lake's peak multicore performance is lower overall.
—
Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 3 Sep. 2024
In comparison, CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum and its L-ascorbic acid is a step up; SAP is gentler, but L-ascorbic acid has (as the name suggests) greater absorption and therefore better efficacy.
—Esther Newman, refinery29.com, 6 Aug. 2024
Rockstar then packed the world with everything from skydiving and harrier jets to trucking — all within a 6×6 kilometer map, a step up from the 4×4 kilometers for GTA III and Vice City.
—Ade Adeniji, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2024
Facing a step up in competition in their home opener, Curry was forced to watch the bulk of the fourth quarter against the Clippers from the locker room.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2024
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.
Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 3 Sep. 2024
In comparison, CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum and its L-ascorbic acid is a step up; SAP is gentler, but L-ascorbic acid has (as the name suggests) greater absorption and therefore better efficacy.
—Esther Newman, refinery29.com, 6 Aug. 2024
Rockstar then packed the world with everything from skydiving and harrier jets to trucking — all within a 6×6 kilometer map, a step up from the 4×4 kilometers for GTA III and Vice City.
—Ade Adeniji, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2024
Facing a step up in competition in their home opener, Curry was forced to watch the bulk of the fourth quarter against the Clippers from the locker room.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a step up/down
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 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share