step in

1
2
as in to substitute
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only couldn't find anyone to step in for me so that I could take a break from my caregiving duties

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of step in Blue steps in after a career at Texas that saw him as a secondary option in a multi-option rushing attack with various weapons in the Longhorns offense. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2025 Chefs and restaurateurs are constantly working to create food and spaces that keep customers coming back for more, and trying a new spot is the first step in becoming a regular. Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2025 Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniella Pineda, Allison Robertson and J.K. Simmons co-star in Accountant 2, which sees Affleck’s character compelled to step in and help solve the murder of an old acquaintance with the help of his estranged brother and a U.S. Treasury agent. Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 26 Apr. 2025 Pyke fell to the ground and attempted to fend off more blows until a colleague stepped in. Christine Pelisek, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for step in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for step in
Verb
  • Many face trouble in getting to a hospital, given the burden of travel, the exhaustion of prolonged treatments, and the emotional strain of needing to visit medical facilities constantly, all while not knowing what the future holds.
    Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
  • For more Deals, visit www.foxnews.com/category/deals Nautical chaise: on sale for $369 (30% off) Original price: $525 Soak up the sun on your new nautical chaise.
    Christopher Murray may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Thanks to industry innovation, modern formulas are switching things up, substituting hygroscopic ingredients with moisture-retaining alternatives like sugars or proteins for tousled waves without the crunch.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 1 May 2025
  • Martinez may not have scored against Barcelona, and was substituted with a leg injury that may keep him out of next Tuesday’s second leg, but the Argentina striker was at the heart of Inter’s first-half success.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • This spirit of elegant, everyday adornment stands in sharp contrast to the Y2K era of crop tops and low-rise jeans, Wallner says, when people actually needed something to tell the time, and therefore gravitated towards eye-popping, in-your-face, men’s styles.
    Talia Abbas, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Over his first 100 days back in office, Donald Trump has presided over an America teetering on the brink of losing its liberal democratic form of government and standing in the world.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The point is to fill in for Francisco Lindor and basically play like him for a week, the way Acuña did last season.
    Tim Britton, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Mulaney then thanked his fellow Saturday Night Live alum for filling in.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • One day after hitting the ball hard but scoring just one run in a loss to Harvard-Westlake, Crespi put together an eight-run first inning Wednesday en route to a 12-1 win over the Wolverines and moved back into a one-game lead in the Mission League.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
  • The Red Sox added two more runs in the top of the second on a Duran RBI single and a Devers RBI double to make it 4-0, and from there Giolito was in control.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • However, today most young people rarely call each other.
    Andrea Wigfield, CNN, 14 Feb. 2023
  • Marx himself would call DEI a classic case of ideology, a set of benign-seeming ideas that disguise the workings of the rulers, in this case empowered progressives.
    WSJ, WSJ, 14 Feb. 2023

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Cite this Entry

“Step in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step%20in. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

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