STEPPING Synonyms: 177 Similar and Opposite Words

stepping

verb

present participle of step

as in walking

to go on foot I stepped across the street for a quick lunch at the new diner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in dancing

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

as in rushing

to proceed or move quickly many people wanted to linger before the president's bier, but guards kept the line of mourners stepping forward

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 stepping There’s literally no stepping away from the table for a classic Below Deck mid-dinner conversation. — Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026 Joan Jett is stepping away from the stage after suffering a serious injury that required surgery. — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Following Real Genius, Meyrink appeared in a handful of productions before stepping away from acting. — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026 The Hurricanes are also replacing four starters on the offensive line, and Cantwell has impressed his coaches and teammates since stepping on campus. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2026 All this week, the moon will be a thin crescent, if present at all, creating excellent conditions for simply stepping outside and exploring the sky at night. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The engineers are now stepping through the same process on Voyager 1, expecting to wrap up in the coming weeks. — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026 Williams walked by the stagecoach, stepping past the person hiding there. — Idaho Statesman, 7 Aug. 2026 After wrapping up her Eternal Sunshine Tour in London on September 1, Ariana Grande will be stepping away from the public eye. — Roberta Mercuri, Vanity Fair, 3 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping

Verb

People can avoid small car trips to the coffee shop, dry cleaners or restaurants by walking or riding the bus or rail line.

— Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
Many older adults are staying active through walking, jogging or taking yoga and exercise classes.

— Nancy Badertscher, AJC.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of walking

Verb

Married couple Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita are dancing into the microseries space.

— Peter White, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026
Among their favorite memories was dancing during a free performance on Lincoln Road, where passersby stopped to watch and later attended one of the festival’s theater performances.

— Orlando Taquechel, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of dancing

Verb

Around the time Few and Far launched, the global NFT market was worth several billion dollars, with celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Justin Bieber and brands such as Nike and Coca‑Cola rushing to launch their own NFTs.

— Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
The Bears went from 25th in the league in rushing to third last season and gave up just 24 sacks after allowing a league-worst 68 the season before.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of rushing

Verb

That’s how Drake Maye ended his latest two-minute drill at Patriots training camp Monday, a meandering march that began around midfield and ended with Maye hurrying the offense to the 3-yard line with 10 seconds on the clock.

— Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2026
Set over the course of eight years (including the lockdown period during COVID), Herry’s film unfolds fluidly, neither hurrying scenes up unnecessarily, nor lingering too long on any incident.

— Tomris Laffly, Variety, 17 May 2026

Definition of hurrying

Verb

And for broadcast leaders, please keep investing in reporters and tools to serve the traveling public.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 2026
The Toyota sideswiped another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction and lost control, striking Bowling near 35th Avenue and Mangels Avenue, the Oakland police previously told PEOPLE.

— Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of traveling

Verb

Flights at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport, a major cargo hub, were disrupted during the night after a sighting of a flying object was reported and another object was found near a runway, police said Wednesday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
As a result, the squad were much further down the fitness road in the States, helped by playing two friendlies against Wisla Krakow and Manchester United before flying out.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026