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
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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 latest incident occurred on Wednesday morning when the 29-year-old suspect, identified by federal authorities as Joshua Jahn of Fairview, Texas, opened fire on a Dallas ICE facility, killing a detainee and leaving two others critically wounded, officials said.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
26 Sep. 2025 -
Benjamin Guinness has died, leaving chaos and his towering brewery behind.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the end, Kennedy decided that resigning would have sent the message that his judicial oath to protect constitutional rights was not binding in difficult or controversial cases.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
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Heskett was hired as a seasonal Colorado Parks and Wildlife ranger in March, roughly eight months after resigning from Lafayette.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At first glance, Beijing’s willingness to play ball on TikTok looks like a sharp reversal from its years of resistance to relinquishing control over the viral video app – the first global social media hit to come out of China.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
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Few believe Kim would countenance relinquishing his nuclear deterrence, given the fates of Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, both toppled after abandoning their weapons programs.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This isn't about abdicating responsibility.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In her new book, Priscilla Presley recounts an allegedly harrowing ordeal her late daughter dealt with after quitting Scientology, Page Six first reported.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
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Reports have emerged of individuals quitting their jobs, selling possessions, and even pulling children out of school in preparation for the event.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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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 30 Sep. 2025.
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