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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stepping
Some yelp in pain after stepping barefoot on a peanut or toy.
—
Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
Khloe Kardashian was spotted stepping onto a boat near the Circuit de Monaco ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, and the unique heel style was on full display thanks to a side view of the shoe.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 8 June 2026
Today’s newsletter rounds up stories about stepping away from daily life and then coming back to it.
—Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
For ranch owners, however, stepping away is much more difficult.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
So in other words, give your shoes a good swipe before stepping inside.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
Even five minutes of slower breathing, stepping outside for sunlight, stretching or taking a short walk can help your body transition more smoothly into the day.
—Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj, CNBC, 4 June 2026
After stepping away from tennis, Williams gave birth to her second child, a daughter named Adira, in 2023.
—ABC News, 1 June 2026
Jameson Black Barrel Black Barrel is the punchier sibling to standard Jameson and a sensible bridge for a bourbon drinker stepping toward Irish whiskey.
—Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
Khloe Kardashian was spotted stepping onto a boat near the Circuit de Monaco ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, and the unique heel style was on full display thanks to a side view of the shoe.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 8 June 2026
Today’s newsletter rounds up stories about stepping away from daily life and then coming back to it.
—Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
For ranch owners, however, stepping away is much more difficult.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
So in other words, give your shoes a good swipe before stepping inside.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
Even five minutes of slower breathing, stepping outside for sunlight, stretching or taking a short walk can help your body transition more smoothly into the day.
—Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj, CNBC, 4 June 2026
After stepping away from tennis, Williams gave birth to her second child, a daughter named Adira, in 2023.
—ABC News, 1 June 2026
Jameson Black Barrel Black Barrel is the punchier sibling to standard Jameson and a sensible bridge for a bourbon drinker stepping toward Irish whiskey.
—Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping
Verb
-
Designed to resemble a California Craftsman-style village, the property’s cliffside paths stay active throughout the day—couples walking hand in hand, families heading toward the beach, and dogs making their morning, afternoon, and sunset rounds.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
-
Today, there is a visitor center nearby, along with miles of walking trails.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
In doing so dancing, much like writing, becomes an act of generational integration and re-membering.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
The video went viral of us just dancing and having fun with the song.—
Lucas Villa,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
There was a flurry of excitement; groups of people carrying bottles of sparkling wine were rushing down to the sea.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
Throw in the signing of dual threat quarterback Malik Willis with the drafting of mauling offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor as well as Will Kacmarek, arguably the best blocking tight end of the 2026 class, and all signs point to the Dolphins having an elite rushing attack for quite some time.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Apparently, the man had been treading water for about 11 hours.—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 May 2026
-
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
Verb
-
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
-
No point hurrying toward a resolution that was always receding.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Best Women’s Clothing Deals My favorite part of traveling, besides the destination itself, is curating the ultimate travel wardrobe that perfectly matches the vibe of the trip.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
29 May 2026
-
That’s where parachutes made of nylon and Kevlar are stitched together for everything from space capsules coming back to land on Earth or one day traveling to the surface of Mars or dropping military personnel on beachheads around the world.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Richards gave millions of dollars to the cult, Eternal Values, while living a double life as both a globe-trotting supermodel and obedient cult member, as reported in a recent story in The Hollywood Reporter.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
-
Beckham took his helmet off and was grabbed his nose and shaking off the hard landing before trotting back to the huddle.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Arden, who wore a plaid jacket and laceless black sneakers, headed to the flying area.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
According to the researchers, bumblebee behavior is not limited to flying around and diving belly deep into pollen.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stepping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepping. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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