1
as in walking
to go on foot
I stepped across the street for a quick lunch at the new diner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
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
3
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
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Recent Examples of stepping
All five girls jumped off the couch, stampeded toward the apartment door, and tumbled into the building’s stairwell, stepping on each other’s heels.
—
Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
The former child actor was in the stages of returning to the scene after stepping away for a few years, and had taken up work with Taskrabbit.
—Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 4 May 2026
People seem to interpret Vader stepping on Kenobi’s robes as Vader being surprised this happened.
—Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Taking the business private, and stepping away from her role as CEO, was no cake walk.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 May 2026
In the moments before the Kentucky Derby began, two incredible women – one stepping off the grandest stage in horse racing and another about to step onto it – strode together to Churchill Downs’ paddock.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 3 May 2026
After giving birth to her youngest child in July 2025 and stepping away from her legal career just three months later, Phillips began documenting her life online in November 2025, sharing an unfiltered look at movement, motherhood and self-discovery.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
Gen Z is already stepping away from alcohol.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Look before stepping over rocks or logs.
—Sarah Linn
may 1, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
The former child actor was in the stages of returning to the scene after stepping away for a few years, and had taken up work with Taskrabbit.
—Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 4 May 2026
People seem to interpret Vader stepping on Kenobi’s robes as Vader being surprised this happened.
—Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Taking the business private, and stepping away from her role as CEO, was no cake walk.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 May 2026
In the moments before the Kentucky Derby began, two incredible women – one stepping off the grandest stage in horse racing and another about to step onto it – strode together to Churchill Downs’ paddock.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 3 May 2026
After giving birth to her youngest child in July 2025 and stepping away from her legal career just three months later, Phillips began documenting her life online in November 2025, sharing an unfiltered look at movement, motherhood and self-discovery.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
Gen Z is already stepping away from alcohol.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Look before stepping over rocks or logs.
—Sarah Linn
may 1, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping
Verb
-
The woman who died, Smith-Gray, was a high school senior looking forward to walking the stage at graduation, her family said on a fundraising page for her funeral expenses.—
Hannah Schoenbaum,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
On Wednesday, May 6, the daughter of the former Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson was spotted walking in central London.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Even in the midst of that sweltering Lagos day of thumping car music and raucous engines and the truck that honked at her for dancing too close, Miriam’s squeal stood out, a siren.—
‘Pemi Aguda,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
-
As the beat dropped, the friends jumped into action — tossing pink flower petals, dancing and laughing before embracing at a glam station.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
But the public debuts of SpaceX and other companies could add pressure to the Magnificent Seven, given that investors rushing to make space for the IPOs will have to offload existing holdings.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
-
In footage obtained by NBC DFW and Fox 4, Zapata could be seen rushing the resident to safety following the gunfire before being hit by shrapnel in his eye and calling authorities for assistance.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The actress — who is currently treading the boards as Connie Francis in the hit Broadway musical about crooner Bobby Darin's life, Just in Time — took to Instagram Stories over the weekend to call out audience members for shouting at her during performances.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
-
But even the past shows signs of treading water, with the team returning to schoolgirl squabbles while their survival isn’t in immediate danger.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
No point hurrying toward a resolution that was always receding.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of hurrying to break up tents and scatter RVs, Lee and Oakland’s interim homelessness chief Sasha Hauswald want city workers to focus on minimizing trash and human waste around encampments.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Did the connotations of travelling with Spirit carry a sense of embarrassment?—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
Residents of multiple countries, including the United States, are being monitored for hantavirus after traveling on the MV Hondius, an Oceanwide Expeditions cruise ship now tied to several cases of the virus.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The baby pudu — currently just a few inches tall — has already been seen trotting alongside her mother, Posey.—
Ryan Brennan,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The baby pudu, just a few inches tall, has already been spotted trotting confidently alongside Posey, rarely straying far from her side.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When that lightsaber goes flying across the Wampa cave?—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
-
JetBlue, for example, is offering $99 one-way fares for Spirit customers flying on the same route through Wednesday, May 6.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stepping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepping. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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