STEPPING DOWN Synonyms: 18 Similar and Opposite Words

stepping down

noun

as in retirement

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping down

Noun

The World Economic Forum calls it financial nihilism — the conclusion that the system no longer rewards prudence, driving a cohort toward crypto bets, prediction markets, and raided retirement accounts.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 July 2026
Conversations about retirement, grandchildren, travel, caregiving, second careers, and personal reinvention tend to feel natural within that environment.

— Matthew Kayser Updated July 6, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026

Definition of retirement

Noun

If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.

— CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 July 2026
Despite high-profile billionaire departures and complaints about costs, California is pulling in more than $335 billion in venture capital — about ten times New York — fueled by an AI boom.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of departure

Noun

Spurs finished 17th in each of the past two seasons and, while Gordon and Isak leaving was frustrating, that was also understandable.

— David Ornstein, New York Times, 1 July 2026
The students, who were taking their secondary school leaving examinations when they were attacked and abducted, are between 15 and 18 years old.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026

Definition of leaving

Noun

Sunday is expected to be the busiest day at O'Hare Airport, with more than 300,000 passengers arriving or departing.

— Lauren Victory, CBS News, 1 July 2026
While Schmid fills the role of a high-end backup, Florida still needs to acquire a starting-caliber goaltender prior to the start of the season with both Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov departing.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026

Definition of departing

Noun

Kelly framed Kobach’s decision to sign onto the consent decree request as an abdication of duty.

— Matthew Kelly Updated June 25, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026
The court’s abdication of its modern responsibility for supervising electoral democracy seems to rest on the naive belief that democracy will succeed in regulating itself.

— Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 9 June 2026

Definition of abdication

Noun

Let passengers exit the train before boarding This rule isn’t unique to Japan, but blocking the door or pushing against the exiting crowd is considered extremely impolite.

— Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
According to research firm Kpler, only seven ships on Friday passed through the strait — five entering and two exiting.

— Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 2 June 2026

Definition of exiting

Noun

Saulter was placed on leave last year around the time that King was indicted, and the sheriff later fired him.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026
After this, watering the garden gently but plentifully will help to promote soil health and get rid of most of the ash present on plant leaves and stems.

— Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of leave

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“Stepping down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepping%20down. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of stepping down

noun

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