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
But most of the conversation is aimed at young people stepping between school and career.
—
Suzanne Roske, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Robocalls are the phone version of stepping on a Lego barefoot.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
Unplugged travel — vacations built around locking up your phone and stepping away from screens — is reshaping how people book time off, and high-end resorts are racing to meet the demand.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2026
Page served as the search giant’s first CEO, returned to lead it again in 2011, and later became chief executive of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, before stepping away from day-to-day operations in 2019.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 15 May 2026
For Morris, stepping onto a television set came with pressure to prove herself.
—Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
That means stepping outside the no-fault system entirely.
—Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Leaving the dais can prompt taunts from audience members critical of officials for stepping away.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
Tourists and scientists want to know On Thursday, three tractors spent more than an hour raking the beach at South Pointe Park in Miami Beach as beachgoers weaved around them, stepping over thick piles of sargassum that turned the shoreline water a murky brown.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 May 2026
Suzanne Roske, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Robocalls are the phone version of stepping on a Lego barefoot.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
Unplugged travel — vacations built around locking up your phone and stepping away from screens — is reshaping how people book time off, and high-end resorts are racing to meet the demand.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2026
Page served as the search giant’s first CEO, returned to lead it again in 2011, and later became chief executive of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, before stepping away from day-to-day operations in 2019.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 15 May 2026
For Morris, stepping onto a television set came with pressure to prove herself.
—Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
That means stepping outside the no-fault system entirely.
—Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Leaving the dais can prompt taunts from audience members critical of officials for stepping away.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
Tourists and scientists want to know On Thursday, three tractors spent more than an hour raking the beach at South Pointe Park in Miami Beach as beachgoers weaved around them, stepping over thick piles of sargassum that turned the shoreline water a murky brown.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping
Verb
-
His most famous early picture, of three rakish young farmers walking to a country dance in new hats, stiff suits, and too-big shoes, couldn’t have been a commission.—
Max Norman,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
-
They’re crafted from organic cotton, which shoppers say is soft, breathable, and comfortable enough for walking, commuting, or sitting through long travel days.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid found the beat during the film’s world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday afternoon, dancing its way to an electric seven-minute standing ovation.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
Now that linear television is about as hip as dancing the Charleston, it’s sort of faded in relevance, but leave it to Bravo, which sometimes feels like the last cable channel standing, to turn it into a big deal.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
And then there were the reports that Prince William wasn’t pleased that Harry appeared to be rushing into marrying the American former TV actor and that either Meghan or Kate Middleton were left in tears over a particularly contentious fitting for bridesmaids’ dresses.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
20 May 2026
-
In the past, the company has benefited from an uncertain economic outlook, as consumers are more likely to fix up their current vehicles rather than rushing off to buy new ones — especially as financing costs rise.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
20 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
-
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
-
Hamaguchi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Léa Le Dimna, spent two years developing the project in France, traveling between Tokyo and Paris and conducting actor workshops to familiarize himself with how French performers approach text.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 May 2026
-
Brentford end their season with a home game against Crystal Palace on Sunday before travelling to Anfield to face Liverpool on the final day on May 24.—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Thank you to my fellow globe-trotting futurist Natalie Monbiot for the press pass.—
Jesse Kirshbaum,
SPIN,
15 May 2026
-
The apparent conflict highlights the ambiguous rules around recall status and its relevance in a trial that’s been peppered with globe-trotting billionaires.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
These include serving as a flying test bed for in orbit manufacturing of alloys, composite materials, and fibers as well as research and production of space medicine.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
18 May 2026
-
Bystanders, including young children, were forced to corner themselves inside the restaurant to avoid being struck by the flying chairs.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stepping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepping. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
