1
as in means
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
took steps to ensure that there would be no more incidences of food poisoning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in stage
an individual part of a process, series, or ranking
the manual enumerates every step in the procedure for shutting down the assembly line
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
5
as in inch
a very small distance or degree
he lives just a step away from his elderly mother, so he's there if she needs him for any reason
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to walk
to go on foot
I stepped across the street for a quick lunch at the new diner
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to dance
to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music
she was in her element, happily stepping around the dance floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to hurry
to proceed or move quickly
many people wanted to linger before the president's bier, but guards kept the line of mourners stepping forward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of step
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
Knowing the basic forms is the first step to figuring out where adaptogens fit into your day.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2026
Levi Weaver, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
The full scope of the 1,200-plus objects will only be revealed when guests step through the museum doors into more than 100,000 square feet of gallery space on the first day of fall.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for step
Noun
The new Google Health app shows data for standard activity like steps and calories, as well as sleep and vital signs.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
Knowing the basic forms is the first step to figuring out where adaptogens fit into your day.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2026
Verb
Edwards did also drag his foot across the base, so whether Hamari saw that, or just never considered that Edwards might be stepping on a shoe rather than the base, the call was correct.
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
The full scope of the 1,200-plus objects will only be revealed when guests step through the museum doors into more than 100,000 square feet of gallery space on the first day of fall.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for step
Recent Examples of Synonyms for step
Noun
-
The sudden cancellations effectively stranded hundreds of travelers, who were left scrambling for alternative means of transportation.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 May 2026
-
Implementing mass timber at scale means navigating property lines and managing infrastructure boundaries between private owners.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Semafor World Economy 2026 drove headlines each day across three concurrent stages of news-making conversations.—
Rachel Keidan,
semafor.com,
7 May 2026
-
An outbreak in January among high school students in San Francisco points to the persistence of the disease, which has both active and latent stages, according to previous reporting by The Mercury News.—
Allison Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Elkann, a keen offshore sailor himself, says Hypersail follows in the footsteps of Ferrari’s passion for endurance, drawing inspiration from the Ferrari 499P hypercar, which has won the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans three years in a row since the team’s return to endurance racing in 2023.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
The French actress has been named godmother of this year’s Trophée Chopard, following in the footsteps of Demi Moore and Julia Roberts.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Then Anunoby made sure there wouldn’t be any path back.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
Bogaerts has been crafty on the base paths, recording four steals on four attempts.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
And what about Ctenocheloides attenboroughi, a living species of ghost shrimp less than an inch long?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
The boom bap volume had been turned to LOUD, the crowd had mobbed every roof, railing and bit of space with even an inch of a view of the ramps, and with every cool trick came the thundering sound of skateboards clattering on the deck in approval from fellow skaters.—
Tony Le Calvez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Vander Luitgaren walked and Ryan Johnson then forced a 2-2 tie with an RBI single.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Guy struck out eight and walked.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Watch them dip and dance and make defenders miss all the way to New York.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
-
The group, which often performs outdoors in the summertime, was commissioned to create a new piece to be danced at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum in Wethersfield.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Trump being hurried off the stage unharmed and guests ducking for cover underneath their tables.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Might as well hurry up and shoot.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Step.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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