Stopped vs. Stepped

simple past tense and past participle of stop

(of a vehicle) Not moving, but not properly parked or berthed; said also of the occupants of such a vehicle.

Example: ‘We were stopped for more than three hours!’; ‘They passed a stopped car on the side of the road, but realized there was nothing they could do to help.’;

(more generally) In the state resulting from having stopped.

Example: ‘A stopped clock is right twice a day.’;

(of a pipe) Having a stop; being closed at one end.

(of a plant) In a well-pruned state.

(phonetics) Made by complete closure of the organs in the mouth; said of certain consonants such as b, d, p, and t''.

Made by complete closure of the mouth organs; shut; - said of certain consonants (p, b, t, d, etc.).

used of string or hole or pipe of instruments

(of a nose) blocked;

Example: ‘a stopped (or stopped-up) nose’;

simple past tense and past participle of step

Provided with a step or steps; having a series of offsets or parts resembling the steps of stairs.

Example: ‘a stepped key’; ‘a stepped gear’;

Provided with a step or steps; having a series of offsets or parts resembling the steps of stairs; as, a stepped key.

having or formed into a step or series of steps

Example: ‘a building with stepped access’;

carried out or occurring in stages or with pauses rather than continuously

Example: ‘a stepped scale of discounts’;