as in tapered
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in walked
to go on foot
I stepped across the street for a quick lunch at the new diner
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in danced
to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music
she was in her element, happily stepping around the dance floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in sped
to proceed or move quickly
many people wanted to linger before the president's bier, but guards kept the line of mourners stepping forward
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of stepped
Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 8 Nov. 2025
Later, as Ripa stepped off to the side, her husband faced Shevchenko, who attempted to teach him a few moves she's employed en route to becoming a UFC champion.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025
In 2020, Harry and Markle stepped away from their royal duties and later moved to Montecito, California.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Into that breach have stepped quantum sensors – devices that sense tiny variations in Earth’s gravity or magnetic field to establish position independently of satellites.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
After nearly two decades of heartbreak, laughter and a whole lot of medical emergencies, Pompeo hung up her white coat and stepped away from Grey's Anatomy in 2023 — though not entirely.
—Dana Rose Falcone, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
More recently, Justice Brian Hagedorn stepped away from a case regarding the Act 10 public bargaining law, while Justice Janet Protasiewicz rejected calls to recuse from the case.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Logan allegedly stepped on his brakes before firing multiple shots towards Wright’s vehicle.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2025
After accidentally leaving a fan on overnight, Breyana stepped outside to find an unexpected visitor lounging in front of it — a squirrel.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
The pop star has taken several social media breaks in recent years — briefly in 2021 and twice in 2022 — and has periodically stepped away from posting ever since.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 8 Nov. 2025
Later, as Ripa stepped off to the side, her husband faced Shevchenko, who attempted to teach him a few moves she's employed en route to becoming a UFC champion.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025
In 2020, Harry and Markle stepped away from their royal duties and later moved to Montecito, California.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Into that breach have stepped quantum sensors – devices that sense tiny variations in Earth’s gravity or magnetic field to establish position independently of satellites.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
After nearly two decades of heartbreak, laughter and a whole lot of medical emergencies, Pompeo hung up her white coat and stepped away from Grey's Anatomy in 2023 — though not entirely.
—Dana Rose Falcone, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
More recently, Justice Brian Hagedorn stepped away from a case regarding the Act 10 public bargaining law, while Justice Janet Protasiewicz rejected calls to recuse from the case.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Logan allegedly stepped on his brakes before firing multiple shots towards Wright’s vehicle.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2025
After accidentally leaving a fan on overnight, Breyana stepped outside to find an unexpected visitor lounging in front of it — a squirrel.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepped
Adjective
-
The ruching around the waist is incredibly flattering, as are the tapered sleeves.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Draffan called out the exaggerated, tapered carrot-leg styles that seen at Marni and at the S/S ’26 Celine show.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Police said a 30-year-old Meridian man exited the vehicle and walked away from the location, while the driver stayed and cooperated with officers.—
Rose Evans,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Like McKnight, most tenants came to the court alone and walked the city’s streets alone.—
Saumya Roy,
The Dial,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For three months and 32 shows, the then-13-year-old prodigy danced alongside her mom throughout the three-hour concert.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Consider Virginia McLaurin, who joyfully danced with the Obamas at age 106 and later supported youth mentoring, or Edith Renfrow Smith, now 110, whose advocacy for education continues to inspire.—
Norman B. Gildin,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Toyota crashed, and the Charger sped away, according to court records.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
10 Jan. 2026
-
His arm was pinned into the back window of a car as a suspect sped away, dragging him across the pavement for about 100 yards, according to court documents.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The site for the multi-phased project was formerly Flint Elementary School, which was built in the early 1950s and remained in use until merging with Blue Jacket Elementary in 1996.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Functioning as a modular toolkit, each module can be applied independently or concurrently—allowing phased adoption aligned with operational goals and capital availability.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Mahomes spent the game on his backside, hurried or outright hit by rushers 15 times in all.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Nov. 2025
-
As rain pattered against windows, and trees lining the streets swayed, flurries of urgent texts began ricocheting from one end of the neighborhood to the other, and panic set in as some residents put on their shoes and hurried out the door.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Elijah Metcalf hauled in five passes for 143 yards and a touchdown, while Jeffery Pittman rushed for 75 yards and a score on 18 carries.—
Michael Harley,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Nebraska tied the game with an extra point after Missouri students rushed the field, celebrating an apparent victory.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Tirado scurried to at least half a dozen bags before finding his and pulling out … pickle juice.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Nov. 2025
-
The voles scurried away when the little nightingale tried to sing, though not out of cruelty.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
19 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stepped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepped. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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