1
as in leaving
to give up (a job or office)
with the advent of his 90th birthday, he could no longer resist calls for him to step down from chairmanship of the board
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in resigning
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
even in the face of a palace revolt, Queen Elizabeth I refused to step down from the throne
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping down (from)
Verb
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The case was initiated in August by an asylum-seeker from Guatemala who was arrested after leaving a routine immigration hearing in San Francisco and then held without access to adequate hygiene, sanitation, medical care and legal advice, according to the complaint.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2026 -
The 'new normal' The threats facing high-profile events in 2026 differ from those held in recent decades as technology has quickly evolved, experts said, leaving law enforcement agencies working to catch up.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
24 June 2026
Verb
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In some cases, positions left vacant by retiring or resigning employees were not filled.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
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Under the agreement, Hill would be required to provide at least 60 days written notice before resigning, though the board could accept an earlier departure date.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Nearly 8 in 10 grieving workers consider quitting their jobs after a major loss, according to workplace bereavement firm Empathy.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
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Lee was thinking of quitting baseball when he was released before getting scooped by the Braves as a minor-league free agent in 2021.—
Jesús Cano,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Iran also demanded in early April the right to collect tolls as a precondition for relinquishing its chokehold on the strait.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
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In 2023, ten years after relinquishing the kneeling figures, the Met gave a further 14 items from its collection back to Cambodia.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Verb
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They’d be upset about Article One of the Constitution, the legislative branch abdicating its powers; that is, the people’s power to wage war and to levy tariffs.—
KEN BURNS,
Rolling Stone,
19 May 2026
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Dinello was right, and The Late Show eventually became late night’s ratings leader—a throne that CBS is now voluntarily abdicating.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stepping down (from).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepping%20down%20%28from%29. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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