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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Prosecutors accused Read of striking O’Keefe with her SUV then leaving him to die in the snow.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025 -
Visas for Pakistani citizens were limited, many Pakistanis were given a deadline to leave the country, diplomatic ties were downgraded, a land border between the two was shut down, and Pakistani military advisers were expelled from the New Delhi mission.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Keesee resigned from his position at the church in August.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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Sassoon, who replaced U.S. Attorney Damien Williams in the Southern District of New York, declined to drop the case against Adams and resigned.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Fittingly posted on a Wednesday (April 23), the two-minute preview opens with Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday making her way back to Nevermore Academy, a journey that involves the teenager reluctantly relinquishing her many weapons to TSA agents at an airport.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
23 Apr. 2025
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But the Trump administration is now relinquishing its influence over the multilateral system, preferring instead to handle countries one by one, transaction by transaction.—
Ngaire Woods,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Center for Western Priorities, a conservation advocacy group, said Burgum was abdicating his responsibilities.—
Rachel Frazin,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2025
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The authors wonder when people will abdicate more authority to AI as it becomes increasingly intertwined in every aspect of life.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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There are myriad, clear alcohol health risks that can be improved by quitting drinking altogether or lowering alcohol consumption.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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That included taking calculated risks—such as quitting her make-ends-meet career as a registered nurse and declining an early deal with Walmart.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
18 Apr. 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 1 May. 2025.
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