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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And that majority shrank further after Greene retired in January, leaving her seat vacant for several months as Congress is at a standstill amid a partial government shutdown.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
11 Mar. 2026 -
At least one officer with the Los Angeles Police Department shot an allegedly armed man on Tuesday morning, leaving him hospitalized.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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So some time has passed since Claire almost died of a gunshot wound and Jamie taught us all that resigning from the Army by way of a note written in your wife’s blood is a viable option.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
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Her mother, Katie Hensle, spent nine years as the head coach of the Chaparrals, compiling a record of 209-99 before resigning in February 2022.—
Rick Cantu,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Researchers warned about relinquishing autonomy without interpretability.—
Victoria Bousis,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
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Their dreadful February reeks of a team that grew desperate to reap the benefits of a dying method, at least somewhat relinquishing its old, stubborn ways.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Democratic leaders have accused Congress of abdicating its constitutional role, and some members plan to boycott the address or attend in silent protest.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
23 Feb. 2026
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The United States, in other words, is not just abdicating its role in the current international system.—
ELIZABETH ECONOMY,
Foreign Affairs,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The most effective lifestyle adjustment is to limit consumption of red meat, followed by quitting tobacco use, managing your blood sugar, maintaining a healthy weight, curtailing alcohol use and staying physically active.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
2 Mar. 2026
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Adamiak wound up quitting her job.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Feb. 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 11 Mar. 2026.
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