1
as in visiting
to make a brief visit
I just stepped in to say hi on my way to class
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in standing in
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only
couldn't find anyone to step in for me so that I could take a break from my caregiving duties
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stepping in
The singer also missed one episode of The Voice in August after her ex-husband's death, with fellow American Idol vet Jennifer Hudson stepping in as a temporary coach for season 29.
—
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Nov. 2025
As seasoned workers retire, the next generation is not stepping in fast enough to replace them.
—Mark Rayfield, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Trotter’s wife, Tanya, echoes her husband’s enthusiasm and is even looking forward to stepping in the ring for some physicality, if needed.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 20 Sep. 2025
With New Mexico’s cannabis market at a crossroads, a new association is stepping in to rally businesses, push reforms, and help guide the industry’s future.
—Benjamin Adams, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
But others did not blame the mother alone, instead criticizing the husband and even the child's aunt and grandparents for not stepping in.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Nov. 2025
As seasoned workers retire, the next generation is not stepping in fast enough to replace them.
—Mark Rayfield, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Trotter’s wife, Tanya, echoes her husband’s enthusiasm and is even looking forward to stepping in the ring for some physicality, if needed.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 20 Sep. 2025
With New Mexico’s cannabis market at a crossroads, a new association is stepping in to rally businesses, push reforms, and help guide the industry’s future.
—Benjamin Adams, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
But others did not blame the mother alone, instead criticizing the husband and even the child's aunt and grandparents for not stepping in.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping in
Verb
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Love recalled visiting a Nashville-area location with her best friend when they were told it had been discontinued.—
Peter Burke,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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As part of the collaboration with Villa Albertine, Unifrance oversees film bookings, institutional partnerships and logistics for visiting filmmakers.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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La Fonda’s announcement on Facebook includes a video of Maria standing in front of the restaurant’s bright blue bricks.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Trump was standing in a suite with House Speaker Mike Johnson.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Villalobos said the students used training guns with paintballs substituting for bullets.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Some took the trend and ran with it, substituting the actual skin care for a stick of butter.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Rachaad White has been filling in for Irving at running back.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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Throughout the movie, Lanthimos doles out pieces of backstory in short, dreamlike sequences that unfurl in black and white, artfully filling in the blanks of Teddy’s particular interest in Michelle.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
People were running in every direction.—
ByGuy Davies,
ABC News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
In a conversation with CBS News Detroit in December, Sheffield said her focus is on building an administration that can hit the ground running in her first 100 days.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Since taking over as chair of the Senate Insurance Committee in 2019, her ballot measure committee has taken at least $193,000 from industry players, including Allstate, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association and the Personal Insurance Federation of California Agents.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
11 Jan. 2026
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Hard-throwing lefty reliever José Alvarado appeared to be taking over the full-time closer role early in the year, but in May, he got hit with an 80-game suspension for a positive performance-enhancing drug test.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some of those teams are guaranteed to have at least three losses because of head-to-head meetings coming over the season’s final month.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
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New York is currently undefeated at home (4-0), with their last two wins coming over the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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When playing within their own half, United adjust into a 5-4-1 with the No 10s dropping in to better protect central midfield.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
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But this year Swift has a new album dropping in just a few weeks.—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stepping in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepping%20in. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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