1
as in visited
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 substituted
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
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Recent Examples of stepped in
Milner stepped in, helping complete paperwork, coordinating care and involving family members.
—
Nancy Badertscher, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
Savannah Guthrie has been in the seat since 2012 and reported alongside Hoda Kotb for seven years before Craig Melvin stepped in following Kotb’s departure in 2025.
—Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
Denver artist Reed Weimer and a group of like-minded friends stepped in, purchasing the property in 2016.
—Kevin Strong, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
As the stock sold off, big money stepped in.
—Jay Woods, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Fast forward to the eighth inning when Willy Adames stepped in the box to face the Reds’ Connor Phillips.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
In the 1990s, as Eastern European countries emerged from communism, Americans stepped in to help build not only free markets, but also antitrust agencies that looked something like our DOJ Antitrust Division.
—Gail Slater, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
When the show returned, Guthrie was gone, and co-anchor Hoda Kotb stepped in to interview Hathaway about her upcoming movies, Mother Mary and The Devil Wears Prada 2.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 16 Apr. 2026
When the opposition sought to hang posters on lampposts and utility poles, the government, invoking concerns about road safety, at one point stepped in to outlaw the practice.
—Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Nancy Badertscher, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
Savannah Guthrie has been in the seat since 2012 and reported alongside Hoda Kotb for seven years before Craig Melvin stepped in following Kotb’s departure in 2025.
—Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
Denver artist Reed Weimer and a group of like-minded friends stepped in, purchasing the property in 2016.
—Kevin Strong, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
As the stock sold off, big money stepped in.
—Jay Woods, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Fast forward to the eighth inning when Willy Adames stepped in the box to face the Reds’ Connor Phillips.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
In the 1990s, as Eastern European countries emerged from communism, Americans stepped in to help build not only free markets, but also antitrust agencies that looked something like our DOJ Antitrust Division.
—Gail Slater, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
When the show returned, Guthrie was gone, and co-anchor Hoda Kotb stepped in to interview Hathaway about her upcoming movies, Mother Mary and The Devil Wears Prada 2.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 16 Apr. 2026
When the opposition sought to hang posters on lampposts and utility poles, the government, invoking concerns about road safety, at one point stepped in to outlaw the practice.
—Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepped in
Verb
-
Espada and a team trainer visited the mound during the inning’s second at-bat.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
7 May 2026
-
The first two were a Dutch husband and wife who had visited sites on a birdwatching trip in Argentina where a species of rat known to carry the Andes strain was present.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Both players had their heads bandaged and were substituted, for Chris Wood and Filip Jorgenson, after a stoppage of around five minutes.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
-
Fray was also mad at himself for cramping, which forced him to be substituted out of Saturday’s loss in the 66th minute.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Senate Democrats, with all the women dressed in white, stood in the well in defiance.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
People stood in long lines in public squares to sign.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Be careful to check if USPS staff is stamping mail after hours, otherwise, any postage dropped in the evening will be stamped April 16.—
Samantha Gowen,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The only first round Game 1 Minnesota has dropped in the Anthony Edwards-Chris Finch era came in 2023, when the Wolves played in Denver just two days after advancing through the play in.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mia Arguelles, who typically plays midfielder, filled in at goalkeeper due to injuries and made two saves for Andrew (7-6-1, 3-2).—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The rest was filled in by Susan’s vampire-next-door vocal performance and wistful instrumentation.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Guadalupe Lopez, a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, took over the office in July 2025.—
Forum News Service,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
-
Jeff Hafley is his eighth head coach (including two interim guys) since Ross took over in 2009, third most in the league.—
Greg Cote
May 7,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Between 2007 and 2025, the percentage of Mormons who reported leaning Republican dropped by 12%, according to an analysis by market research firm YouGov of data collected by the Cooperative Election Study, the largest academic survey focused on American elections.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
4 May 2026
-
Millwall must win to capitalise on any points dropped by Ipswich, thanks to that vastly inferior goal difference, while Middlesbrough’s hopes of gatecrashing the top two are also dependent on securing all three points.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The two sides ran in slates aligned against one another.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 May 2026
-
Ken’s parents also influenced how rinks were ran in the area, the two said.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacbee.com,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stepped in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepped%20in. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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