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 Less than three years after helping Washington play for a national championship, Polk is stepping away from the NFL. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 After wrapping up her Eternal Sunshine Tour in London on September 1, Ariana Grande will be stepping away from the public eye. — Roberta Mercuri, Vanity Fair, 3 Aug. 2026 But some pitmasters across the region are stepping outside the box, adding unique specials to their traditional barbecue roster as an opportunity to try out interesting new dishes and create unexpected preparations for guests to seek out. — Claudia Alarcón, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Junelle announced her official retirement from competitive track and field on WAG World, and shared her newfound goals that she’s discovered since stepping away from the sport after competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026 The City of Garland construction worker says preparation starts long before stepping onto a job site. — Erin Jones, CBS News, 30 July 2026 And remember, stepping away from work — even temporarily — can reduce your future earning potential. — Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 27 July 2026 Despite growing up online, this generation is embracing analog hobbies, stepping away from dating apps and spending afternoons at the mall. — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026 During a separate appearance on Live With Kelly and Mark, Holland reflected on stepping away from dance after Billy Elliot. — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping

Verb

Video footage showed crowds of people, mainly Moroccans, walking around the breakwaters at Tarajal beach onto local roads.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Used gently before walking, stretching or massage, tapping can be a useful ritualistic prompt to move—but it shouldn’t be mistaken for a treatment in itself.

— Chloe Burcham, Vogue, 30 July 2026

Definition of walking

Verb

Mizuno herself was a ballet dancer and trained at the Royal Ballet School before dancing with companies including English National Ballet, Dresden Semperoper Ballet and Scottish Ballet.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 30 July 2026
And going back to movies, the Michael Jackson biopic Michael turned a cinema screening into a concert-like experience, with viewers singing, dancing and transforming the theater into an impromptu dance floor.

— Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of dancing

Verb

As the drone flies, the rushing wind sweeps through the wing, naturally cooling the receiver’s back.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026
But in order to succeed long term, smart leaders are starting to weigh the risks of adoption carefully before rushing ahead.

— Adrian Gostick, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of rushing

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

Definition of hurrying

Verb

The tens of thousands of people traveling at once and the road closures near the stadium and Atlanta park made driving very unattractive.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Bauers then crushed a three-run homer to right, the ball leaving his bat at 110 mph and traveling 424 feet, for a 6-0 lead.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of traveling

Verb

Flights at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport, a major cargo hub, were disrupted during the night after a sighting of a flying object was reported and another object was found near a runway, police said Wednesday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
As a result, the squad were much further down the fitness road in the States, helped by playing two friendlies against Wisla Krakow and Manchester United before flying out.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026