step on someone's toes

verb

To cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs.

“I didn't think I'd be stepping on my sister's toes when I told my nephew to sit up straight at the dinner table.”

Similar
tread on someone's toes
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Meanings

verbstep on someone's toes (third-person singular simple present steps on someone's toes, present participle stepping on someone's toes, simple past and past participle stepped on someone's toes)

present singular third person steps on someone's toes · participle present stepping on someone's toes · participle past stepped on someone's toes · past stepped on someone's toes

  1. idiomaticTo cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs.

    I didn't think I'd be stepping on my sister's toes when I told my nephew to sit up straight at the dinner table.

    Synonyms: tread on someone's toes

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs.

Similar
tread on someone's toes
Also see
tread on someone's toes

Translations

Finnish astua jonkun varpaille
  • astua jonkun varpailleto cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
French marcher sur les pieds, marcher sur les plates-bandes
  • marcher sur les piedsto cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
  • marcher sur les plates-bandesto cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
German auf die Füße treten
  • auf die Füße tretento cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
Hungarian tyúkszemére lép, átgázol
  • tyúkszemére lépto cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
  • átgázolto cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
  • belegázolto cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
Italian pestare i piedi
  • pestare i piedito cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
Latvian uzmīt kādam uz varžacīm
  • uzmīt kādam uz varžacīmto cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
Norwegian Bokmål tråkke noen på tærne
  • tråkke noen på tærneto cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
Portuguese pisar nos calos de alguém
  • pisar nos calos de alguémto cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
Spanish pisar el pie a alguien, pisarle a alguien los callos
  • pisar el pie a alguiento cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
  • pisarle a alguien los callosto cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs
Cite this entry
APA

step on someone's toes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/step%20on%20someone's%20toes

MLA

“step on someone's toes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/step%20on%20someone's%20toes. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “step on someone's toes,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/step%20on%20someone's%20toes.

Source: step on someone's toes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.