stutter step
Deceptive running pause
A stutter step is a quick, deceptive hesitation in movement—a brief break in stride designed to throw off an opponent or change direction.
Athletes use it in basketball, football, and soccer to fake out defenders: He hit a stutter step at the three-point line, then drove to the basket.
The technique creates momentary uncertainty about which way the person will go.
As a verb, to stutter-step is to perform this move: She stutter-stepped past the defender.
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
- change of paceDeviation from routine
- fakeNot the real thing
- head fakeDeceptive movement to mislead
- pump fakeSimulated throwing motion
juke · crossover · dribble · ball handler · triple threat · feint · basketball · footwork · quick feet · pause · split second · stammer · falter · quickstep · deception · broken ankles · court · shuffle
- maneuversmaneuver, feint, sidestep, dodge, evasion
- sports movesdunk, layup, dink, spike, serve
- ball skillsdribbling, crossover, ball control, stepover, throwing
- feintsfeint, fake, juke, deke, head fake
- footworkpivot turn, sidestep, shuffle, slide, crossover
- Evasive Movessidestep, dodge, weave, juke, feint
stutter stepfluid motion
Smooth, continuous movement
glide · cruise · coast · even pace · steady pace
stutter stepfull stop
Terminal punctuation mark
dead stop · sudden stop · abrupt halt · standstill · freeze
stutter, step, stutters, stuttered, stuttering, stutterer, steps, stepped, stepping