STEP-DOWNS Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

step-downs

noun

variants or step downs also stepdowns

plural of step-down

as in decreases

the amount by which something is lessened took a huge step-down in income when she switched from a law career to one in social work

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of step-downs Some of the incumbent step-downs were due to the pursuit of a new job; in other cases, fresh initiatives dictated change. — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 16 Feb. 2026 Men tend to age slowly with little step-downs, and women tend to have very sudden changes. — Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 27 Jan. 2026 Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics revisions show a sharp slowdown in payroll growth in the second quarter of 2025, with the biggest step-downs in low-wage industries such as retail, wholesale, leisure, and hospitality. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for step-downs

Noun

Throughout her reelection campaign, Bass has repeatedly touted two straight years of decreases in homelessness from 2024 to 2025 as one of her main arguments for why she should be given another four years by Angelenos.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Other states hit hard by the opioid epidemic also saw year-over-year decreases in fatal overdoses, including states that didn’t loosen Medicaid billing rules, like Tennessee and West Virginia.

— Alex Acquisto, ProPublica, 30 July 2026

Definition of decreases

Noun

Paul Barnkow, Arvada I’m reading with interest the articles regarding the water restrictions imposed by Denver Water and that the restrictions aren’t generating the reductions requested.

— DP Opinion, Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2026
Sodium-ion chemistry also performs well in cold weather, where conventional lithium-ion batteries often experience noticeable reductions in charging speed and driving range.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of reductions

Noun

Elsewhere in Greece, flames threatened homes on Kefalonia, forcing evacuations from inland communities as aircraft made water drops over the Ionian island.

— Elena Becatoros, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
In some cases, water pressure drops, potentially allowing untreated groundwater to seep into pipes.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of drops

Noun

Some public health specialists told ABC News there are several reasons for the declines, including fewer adolescents and young adults engaging in risky behaviors and public health messaging campaigns.

— Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Los Angeles' restaurant industry is in turmoil, with over 100 establishments closing in 2025 and thousands of jobs lost due to escalating costs and revenue declines.

— Esha Chhabra, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026