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
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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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of step in
Anderson Cooper stepped in to replace Fallon on stage with the pop icon.
—
Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
The Seattle-to-Narita route represented an important step in the carrier's ambitions to expand Seattle into a major international gateway on the West Coast.
—Jalyn Robinson, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026
Our focus now is on ensuring that class members are informed of their rights and that the next steps in the claims process are handled carefully and respectfully.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
So when Klote resigned last August, Natalie Klein, who had been serving as OHRP’s director of policy since 2021, stepped in as OHRP’s acting director.
—Megan Molteni, STAT, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for step in
Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
The Seattle-to-Narita route represented an important step in the carrier's ambitions to expand Seattle into a major international gateway on the West Coast.
—Jalyn Robinson, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026
Our focus now is on ensuring that class members are informed of their rights and that the next steps in the claims process are handled carefully and respectfully.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
So when Klote resigned last August, Natalie Klein, who had been serving as OHRP’s director of policy since 2021, stepped in as OHRP’s acting director.
—Megan Molteni, STAT, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for step in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for step in
Verb
-
Spend time walking around, snapping photos, or visiting the small interactive museum, ZOOOM, where a short 3D film flies viewers over the mountain range; admission is included in the ticket price.—
Lauren David,
Travel + Leisure,
29 May 2026
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According to organizers, the 2027 run will visit approximately 50 cities across the United States and Canada from February through April, marking a decade since the touring drag production first launched.—
Holly Alvarado,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
Verb
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This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
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Our recipe calls for blueberry preserves, but feel free to substitute cherry or strawberry.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
Verb
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When Officers Jordan White and Chad Cox entered the third-floor apartment, body camera footage showed Pike standing in a closet, which was also Destinii’s nursery, holding the infant.—
Ben Wheeler
June 2,
Kansas City Star,
2 June 2026
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Was there really nothing more standing in her way than a pea-size clump of cells?—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Parents are starting meal planning with the protein component first, then filling in the rest of the plate around it.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
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Several neighbors greeted each other warmly as seats filled in The Rhapsody, traditionally used as a wedding venue.—
Ilana Arougheti
June 4,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The Knicks are wrapping this up at home in what will soon be remembered as one of the most dominant playoff runs in all of sports history.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2026
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On July 28, 1964, Allen ran in a special election as a Democrat for the Senate seat in District 26 -- which included Monroe, Lee, Arkansas, and Phillips counties -- that was made vacant by her husband's death.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
One, a pediatric ER doctor, wrapped his arm in a makeshift tourniquet and stuffed the wound to staunch the bleeding while others called for help.—
Los Angeles Times,
Boston Herald,
8 June 2026
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The novel was initially ignored, and then—after Graham Greene called it one of the best books of the year—dismissed, and then banned, first in the UK and then in France.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Step in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step%20in. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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