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 Villains like Ted Bundy are imagined to be relatively invulnerable to pain, even in a scenario as basic as stepping barefoot on a shard of glass. — Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026 Kristaps Porzingis will not be stepping on the basketball court for the foreseeable future. — Ryan Morik Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026 Simon Cowell is back on the beach, months after stepping away from the public eye for back surgery. — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2026 Becerra did get out and jog round the track — never a sprint and always stepping cautiously. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026 We were issued metal water bottles for bringing ashore, and followed strict instructions on not bringing any food off the ship, and disinfecting our boots before and after stepping ashore to keep Antarctica pristine. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026 Article continues below this ad After years of organizing markets and vending at festivals, Tunchez began stepping away from her business in late 2024. — Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 31 Oct. 2026 Stepping backward also increases reliance on body awareness and control, which can help with everyday movements that involve changing direction or stepping behind you. — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 28 Oct. 2026 Drive your left knee in toward your chest, then quickly stepping it back to plank position. — Sarah Stiefvater, Flow Space, 23 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping

Verb

This also had a boat trip included, a lovely way to cool off after a day walking Barcelona’s lanes.

— Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
Walking less than 500 meters indicates poor cardiorespiratory fitness; walking between 500 and 700 meters is acceptable; walking more than 700 is excellent.

— Laura Solla, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of walking

Verb

Bardwell went viral during the World Cup for dancing with Algeria fans.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026
The Jamaican musical style grew from an encounter between African and European traditions, and its banjos, guitars, hand percussion, and rumba boxes accompanied dancing, drinking, storytelling, and songs about life’s daily irritations.

— Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of dancing

Verb

Simply put, Miami’s pass defense and run defense were outclassed by New England’s passing offense and rushing offense in the second half.

— Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
Many existing clients began rushing to move their eggs and embryos to Albania or arrange last-minute retrievals.

— Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of rushing

Verb

Sent from pillar to post – to the bank’s Accounts, Payments and Claims treading dark puddled basement corridors and joining seemingly interminable lines.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026
Videos also show survivors jumping from a rocky island and swimming to Coast Guard rescue swimmers treading rough seas.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of treading

Verb

Black asserts that the statements made by Garcia are false and that traveling to appear on national television to make such statements about the inquiry into Epstein’s crimes goes beyond the purview of a member of Congress.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
Another big game has Fort Worth Carter-Riverside (6-3, 3-3) traveling over to Scarborough-Handley Field to take on Fort Worth Southwest (4-5, 3-3) for the final playoff berth in the district.

— Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of traveling

Verb

Quickley countered by trotting upcourt and sinking another 3 over the rookie.

— Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Christiane Amanpour, who parlayed a job as a news assistant on CNN‘s foreign desk into a years-long globe-trotting assignment for the news giant, plans to step away from the media company in June.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026