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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In analyzing dozens of hours of audio and video footage of public and private speaking events for McMahon’s appointees, as well as their writings, ProPublica found that a recurring theme is the desire to enable more families to leave public schools.—
Megan O’Matz,
ProPublica,
8 Oct. 2025 -
Varying injuries suffered by Richard Fitts, Hunter Dobbins, Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck leave several starters in flux entering the offseason, while rookies Connelly Early and Payton Tolle pitched well at the end of the season.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That figure, already the highest on record, is expected to be eclipsed in 2025 as the focus on CEO accountability intensifies, with 25 CEOs resigning year to date after coming under activist pressure, with 20% of the departures occurring at S&P 500 companies.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
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Fix needed, fast If Lecornu’s efforts over the next few hours fail, Macron will be faced with the choice of appointing a new PM, dissolving parliament and calling fresh parliamentary elections, or resigning.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Liberation lies in relinquishing projection, in surrendering the desire for children to mirror our priorities and accomplishments.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
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For decades after that, most parents who relinquished infants for adoption did not expect to see or hear from those children again.—
Nicole Chung,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Philippe's grandfather, King Leopold III, also abdicated in 1951 amid a political crisis in an effort to safeguard the monarchy.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
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Instead of standing as a safeguard, Congress has abdicated its responsibility and has been a rubber stamp for the president’s unconstitutional whims.—
Trena Turner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Even down 14-0, the Jaguars never quit.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
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Russell—toying with the idea of quitting acting for good—jumped coasts.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
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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 12 Oct. 2025.
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