1
as in to visit
to make a brief visit
I just stepped in to say hi on my way to class
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of step in
The first step in any movement for social change is to get people to understand the reality of the current situation.
—
Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
In 2025, Brinkley told Fox News Digital she was relieved that D’Angelo stepped in and saved her from stripping down.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Kimberly Greene, a Los Angeles County public defender, then stepped in and asked the judge to postpone the arraignment.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 7 Jan. 2026
That was a key step in many famous instances of serendipity.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for step in
Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
In 2025, Brinkley told Fox News Digital she was relieved that D’Angelo stepped in and saved her from stripping down.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Kimberly Greene, a Los Angeles County public defender, then stepped in and asked the judge to postpone the arraignment.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 7 Jan. 2026
That was a key step in many famous instances of serendipity.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for step in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for step in
Verb
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While visiting her parents in Boston, Wells spent time with a close family friend who owns an apartment in Paris.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
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However, Demirel opened the game scoring eight unanswered points to give the visiting Antelopes an early 8-0 lead.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the coconut rum with an equal amount of coconut water or milk, and add 1/2 teaspoon of rum extract to maintain some of the flavor notes.—
Amanda Holstein,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
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Silvetti picked up a yellow card in the 69th minute and was later substituted for by Yannick Bright in the 74th minute as Miami looked to bolster its defense for the final stretch of the game.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Shady Maple Smorgasbord – Pennsylvania Shady Maple, an icon of the Lancaster County community, began as a small roadside produce stand in the late 1960s before expanding into a grocery store and, eventually, a full-scale buffet, according to its website and local reports.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
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White egrets stood in the shallows, a woodpecker knocked somewhere nearby, and pairs of green parrots flew upstream, beating their wings in time.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The week after, the earth will be filled in, creating a blank slate in the center of the Eastside Historic District.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Jan. 2026
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Blough worked under QBs coach Tavita Pritchard during Daniels’ standout rookie year in 2024, then filled in this past year after Pritchard was hired by Stanford as its coach.—
Stephen Whyno,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Acuff overtook Isaiah Joe's 13-game run in the 2018-19 season.—
Matt Byrne,
Arkansas Online,
6 Jan. 2026
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Conway used to run in the same circles as Ann Coulter and Matt Drudge, dated Laura Ingraham, and represented Paula Jones in her case against Clinton that eventually got entangled with the 42nd President’s impeachment.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Calò, a 46-year-old Sicilian, speaks passionately about El Popo, as Mexicans call the volcano, rattling off trivia.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Jan. 2026
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Anyone with information in the case is asked to call the CMPD Homicide Unit at 704-432-8477 (TIPS) and speak directly to a detective.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Step in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step%20in. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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