1
as in to leave
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 & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to resign
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for step down (from)
Verb
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The departure of Stockton and Warren leaves head coach Spencer Danielson with the task of replacing two secondary coaches.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026 -
Members of the Minneapolis City Council, in a joint statement, demanded that ICE leave the city following the shooting.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Days later, another member of the finance team, Carrie Truver, resigned.—
Jennifer Palmer,
Oklahoma Watch,
9 Jan. 2026
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Meanwhile, county leaders, including Executive Bob Cassilly, are calling for the superintendent to resign or be terminated.—
Ashley Paul,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The supply issue partly reflects years of underbuilding after the 2008 financial crisis, as well as the reluctance of homeowners who locked in ultra-low mortgage rates during the ensuing recession to relinquish their properties.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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What impresses Lanthimos most is Plemons’ willingness to relinquish control.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The United States, in other words, is not just abdicating its role in the current international system.—
ELIZABETH ECONOMY,
Foreign Affairs,
9 Dec. 2025
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The family's fate changed when King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 and his younger brother acceded to the throne, putting the firstborn Princess Elizabeth on the path to reign one day.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And speaking of personal, the same CU faithful who called Seaton the next Penei Sewell 18 months ago are slamming him as a me-first, money-chasing hypocrite who quit on his team and his coach.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
13 Jan. 2026
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The reality is, whether your kid makes it to the pros or is part of the 70% who quit before 13, every kid eventually plays their last game at some point.—
Jonathan Carone,
Parents,
13 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Step down (from).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step%20down%20%28from%29. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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