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
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
Demidov used that knowledge to his advantage, deceptively selling a shot before passing to Lane Hutson, then stepping around a diving Cozens and accepting a return pass from Hutson in the heart of the slot, where his one-timer tied the game.
—
Arpon Basu, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Murray continued working on Blackhawks broadcasts, though at a diminished workload, before stepping away entirely this season.
—Dylan Olsen, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
As Variety confirmed last week, the pop icon is set to perform a string of concerts this fall at Paris La Défense Arena, marking her first major series of live shows since stepping away from the spotlight in 2022.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 30 Mar. 2026
After stepping next door to a Dollar Tree, the bracelet stayed on their mind.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Prior to Newbins stepping to the line, Jarocki pulled Kniyah Dumas aside and told her to pump up her fellow point guard.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
Now, the beloved lifestyle creator is making her biggest move yet — stepping from social media into the streaming world with her very own series on Tubi.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2026
Since stepping away from football, Celek has pursued a career in real estate.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Pitchers are allowed two disengagements per plate appearance, either throwing over to first base or stepping off the rubber, or a combination of both.
—Abbey Mastracco, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
Arpon Basu, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Murray continued working on Blackhawks broadcasts, though at a diminished workload, before stepping away entirely this season.
—Dylan Olsen, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
As Variety confirmed last week, the pop icon is set to perform a string of concerts this fall at Paris La Défense Arena, marking her first major series of live shows since stepping away from the spotlight in 2022.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 30 Mar. 2026
After stepping next door to a Dollar Tree, the bracelet stayed on their mind.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Prior to Newbins stepping to the line, Jarocki pulled Kniyah Dumas aside and told her to pump up her fellow point guard.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
Now, the beloved lifestyle creator is making her biggest move yet — stepping from social media into the streaming world with her very own series on Tubi.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2026
Since stepping away from football, Celek has pursued a career in real estate.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Pitchers are allowed two disengagements per plate appearance, either throwing over to first base or stepping off the rubber, or a combination of both.
—Abbey Mastracco, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping
Verb
-
Safety Walk Feel uneasy walking alone during Ultra?—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
-
In one video, Muhammad is allegedly shown returning to the restaurant, walking past a delivery truck with her face covered by some sort of mask and holding a knife under her arm.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
From there, a user named Vega turned it into a TikTok dance video that exploded — people duplicating themselves on screen, one version performing, the other dancing behind them.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
-
One scene shows the comedian, dressed in a white suit, dancing on a stage in front of a crowd as sparklers go off.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Umanmielen and Jones will provide the primary depth in a pass-rushing rotation.—
Mike Kaye
March 26,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
-
If romance is in play, state needs without rushing labels, while honoring friendships and professional ties with equal care.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Israel will be treading over familiar ground in southern Lebanon, enjoys intelligence superiority, operational superiority, and has the backing of partners in Lebanon.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Video posted to social media by the sheriff’s office shows the dramatic rescue of the man, treading water near a red canoe before being hoisted into the air by a rescuer attached to a rope dangling from a helicopter.—
Alyce McFadden,
San Francisco Chronicle,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Meza Gonzalez and David Christian, one of her attorneys, refused to answer questions from reporters about the plea agreement, hurrying down a flight of stairs at the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center.—
Megan Rodriguez,
San Antonio Express-News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Learning a language, studying abroad, or simply traveling to experience something entirely unfamiliar to you.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Woods' vehicle had been traveling between 84 and 87 mph in an area with a 45 mph speed limit, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at the time.—
Melissa Gaffney,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Seattle indie rock band, led by Ben Bridwell, will now embark on a spring tour to celebrate that milestone, trotting across the United States later this month.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
24 Mar. 2026
-
If Prime Minister Mark Carney has a reputation as a globe-trotting elite who wows the Davos crowd, his main rival, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, has a decidedly different profile.—
Brian Platt,
Bloomberg,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fort Collins now has drones flying the city nearly every day as a resource to the police, fire and utilities departments.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Meteor showers such as the Lyrids can be tracked yearly, because the debris flying through the night sky in fiery streaks is coming from the same comet.—
Hali Smith
March 31,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stepping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepping. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
