step down from

1 to give up (a job or office) <with the advent of his 90th birthday, he could no longer resist calls for him to step down from chairmanship of the board> Synonyms bag, chuck, leave, resign (from), retire (from), step aside (from), quit (from)Related Words abandon, vacate; drop out (of), throw upNear Antonyms hire (out or on)Antonyms stay (at)

2 to give up (as a position of authority) formally <even in the face of a palace revolt, Queen Elizabeth I refused to step down from the throne> Synonyms abnegate, cede, relinquish, renounce, resign, step aside (from), abdicate (from), surrenderRelated Words abjure, demit, deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, waive; forsake, give up, hand over, yield; abandon, desert, quit, vacateNear Antonyms appropriate, arrogate, assume, claim, confiscate; seize, take over, usurp, wrest; defend, guard, protect, safeguard, secure