step in

Definition of step innext
1
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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of step in Arvind Raman, the director of National Institute of Standards and Technology, will step in as acting director of the center, according to a Commerce Department spokesperson. Alex Harring, CNBC, 21 July 2026 Connect With People Outside Your Circle Meeting new and different people represents the first step in breaking out of the rut. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 The two actors had been out of touch for years when fate stepped in and put them on the same flight to New York. Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026 West African leaders approved a plan for a $25 billion pipeline to transport natural gas from Nigeria to Morocco, a major step in expanding the region’s gas exports to help meet global demand. Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for step in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for step in
Verb
  • Review social media posts Social media platforms and patient reviews can be a useful tool before visiting for a consultation.
    Ella Moore July 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • Collins visits the pool every few days, driving past the Kennedy Center each time to check whether the tarp is still up.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • Bellingham was substituted into the match in the 79th minute.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
  • Booked even earlier than Romero for a cynical foul, he was substituted partly out of fear of a second yellow in the 72nd minute.
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Verb
  • The Padres had only ever scored that many runs in a game six times before in their nearly 57 seasons as a big-league franchise.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2026
  • The filing window to run in the special Republican primary election for the South Carolina Senate seat opens on Tuesday and closes on July 28.
    Chantelle Lee, Time, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • Dutch Bros got its start in 1992 as a pushcart stand in Grants Pass, Oregon, according to the chain’s website.
    Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
  • So with the summit behind us and winter ahead, Europe stands in a more precarious position than most of its leaders are willing to say out loud.
    John Kerry, semafor.com, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • Most famously, in 1966 the trophy was found underneath a hedge by a dog called Pickles a week after thieves had taken it from Westminster Central Hall, London, following England’s victory.
    Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • Also, this year all three nights will just be called the Emmys.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 July 2026
Verb
  • Timpson made her first start Friday, filling in for All-Star center Aliyah Boston, who missed her third game of the season due to a right lower leg injury.
    James Boyd, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • The most prominent position that UM’s athletic department has filled in the portal has been quarterback, with Cam Ward, Carson Beck and now Darian Mensah signed to big-money deals the past three years.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Step in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step%20in. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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