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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With the high court passing on the city’s request, that leaves in place a ruling that the city violated state law and needs to update its housing plan and zone for at least 13,368 new homes this decade, including affordable options.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026 -
Air vibrates the tissues in the voice box while an area just above contracts, leaving a small opening for the whistle to escape.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Peter Attia resigns from CBS News Celebrity doctor Peter Attia has resigned from his new contributor position at CBS News following revelations about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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The fans never got an opportunity to give a grateful goodbye, Pat Riley resigning on an early summer afternoon 36 years ago after the end of a lost season.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But trade for both, and relinquish a first-round pick in both deals?—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
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Government has longer-term leverage Despite the shift toward commercial technology, defense leaders are unlikely to relinquish control over mission critical systems.—
Barbara Booth,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Commentators have compared the pressures facing the House of Windsor to 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson.—
Danica Kirka,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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Commentators have compared the pressures facing the House of Windsor to 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the thrown to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Bachman quit the band after the Fillmore show in May 1970, fed up with the rigors of touring, business disputes, and lifestyle clashes.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
28 Feb. 2026
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And the quits rate of workers voluntarily leaving their jobs — which can reflect their degree of confidence in the job market — stayed relatively low at around 2% throughout 2025.—
Sarah Jackson,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 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 1 Mar. 2026.
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