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 Between the pools, the beach, and the restaurant lineup, most guests could fill a week without stepping off property. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026 Ahead of the first Charlotte opening, Bolorin outlined key details on traffic coordination, store policies and what shoppers should expect when stepping inside the Ballantyne store. — Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2026 Disconnecting or stepping away from work devices entirely instead of scrolling through work emails or social media. — Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 23 Sep. 2026 Others insulted them, settling into the familiar wrestling roles of heroes and villains before ever stepping between the ropes. — Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026 The mom-of-two—who shares 9-year-old twins Ella and Alexander with husband George Clooney—could be seen shaking hands with students, addressing a group of children, and stepping outside a building with a beverage in hand. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 19 Sep. 2026 The most challenging aspect of her decision was the timing — stepping away as the team reaches new heights in terms of chemistry and momentum. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026 But this crop of Chuck Princes seems willing to consider stepping off the dance floor. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026 Among them is Sharna Burgess, who was a pro for several years and a one-time Mirrorball winner before stepping away in 2021, and partner Tyler Cameron. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping

Verb

More energetic outdoor activities include swimming in the saltwater pool, walking or jogging on the Deck 15 track, paddle tennis, golf cages, and a mini-golf course.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
The video shows the water inching along its path slower than a boy calmly walking ahead of it.

— Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of walking

Verb

That could include lighting candles while focusing on an intention or incorporating movement through activities such as dancing, walking or hiking.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
After dancing a promising cha-cha on week 1, Bersten and his season 35 partner, Giada De Laurentiis, found themselves in the bottom three following a disappointing salsa.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of dancing

Verb

While some of these undertakings are pegged to the country's 250th anniversary, critics have long accused the president of rushing to memorialize himself out of fear that no one else will.

— Rachel Treisman, NPR, 28 Sep. 2026
And their struggles rushing seemed to seep into the passing game, allowing the Bruins to focus on the aerial attack.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of rushing

Verb

Even though most pilgrims traveling to Lourdes each year come from France — 42%, according to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes — many visitors from Eastern Europe are expected to come and greet Leo.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
This interest in new talent doesn’t come only from audiences, but it is also shared by the high-profile executives travelling into town for the festival’s highly prestigious industry sidebar, the Zurich Summit.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of traveling

Verb

Jeon Do-yeon, who plays the family’s matriarch, is colorfully slinky as a globe-trotting party widow, a vain, compulsively seductive narcissist who macks on her daughters’ men like a Real Housewife given a villain’s edit.

— Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2026
Raccoon City is but one setting in the video games’ globe-trotting canon.

— Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of trotting

Verb

Or two weeks ago, flying to Frieze Seoul, 37 hours there and back, after a trip to the East Coast and Europe that was another 42.

— Lane Brown, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
Nearly $2 billion from venture capital investors has underpinned Zipline’s global business that has grown from flying medical supplies to food delivery for Uber.

— Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026