stepladder

noun

step·​lad·​der ˈstep-ˌla-dər 

: a ladder that has broad flat steps and two pairs of legs connected by a hinge at the top and that opens at the bottom to become freestanding

Examples of stepladder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Wright brothers’ airplane, the cash register, the stepladder and the electric car starter were all invented in this city of 137,000. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Perched atop a stepladder in the middle of London’s Abbey Road on this day in 1969, photographer Iain Macmillan captured one of the most iconic—and conspiracy-driving—images in Beatles’ history. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 July 2026

If it’s built too high or in an awkward spot, Bailey recommends using your phone to zoom in and take a photo, using a telescoping pole with a mirror on the end, or using a stepladder to get closer to the nest. — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 7 July 2026

The lucky ones have shutters or awnings, but others must climb stepladders to hang sheets or tablecloths from windows. — Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stepladder

• gallbladder
• adder
• bladder
• ladder
• madder
• sadder

Kids Definition

stepladder

noun

step·​lad·​der -ˌlad-ər 

: a short ladder that has broad flat steps and two pairs of legs connected by a hinge at the top and that opens at the bottom to become freestanding