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
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
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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As a result, same-sex couples continue to face other challenges in other aspects of daily life, from visiting their partner at hospitals to raising children, hurdles that families in many other global financial capitals that look to attract top talent no longer face.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
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Also tamping down interest in visiting the big trees is the fact that the park management actively discourages visitors from identifying the tallest trees.—
Greg Sullivan,
AFAR Media,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That June, Kraus posted an old photo of Kennedy standing in front of his family’s Cape Cod compound, holding an owl.—
Clare Malone,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
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Visitors are surprised at first seeing even one sculpture appear out of nowhere standing in the river.—
Jeanine Barone,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Taking the question further, and assuming the Fed capable of the magic that Democrats, Republicans and even libertarians ascribe to it, won’t private capital retreat overcome the Fed substituting itself for the marketplace in the first place?—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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When making the switch to a plant-forward diet, Moon advised easing into it with small changes such as adding leafy greens to smoothies, using tofu in a grain bowl, and substituting animal fats for olive oil.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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When a small job of filling in a hole that a pet has dug or where a root has rotted, homeowners can easily handle this type of job themselves.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
11 Sep. 2025
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Kelley said the school’s full-time deputy is on medical leave, and multiple part-time officers are filling in the gap.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Screenshots of the viral video show the Siberian husky running in the park with his owner.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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Civil charges have also been filed against Packer, including dogs running in a pack and vicious dog, the spokesperson said.—
Jessie DiMartino,
ABC News,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The best Origins products show exactly why this brand has been taking over bathroom-shelf real estate since the ’90s.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
12 Sep. 2025
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Billboard returned to New York City for its annual Hip-Hop/R&B LIVE event, taking over Webster Hall for a night of unforgettable performances.—
Quincy Green,
Billboard,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Funke finished with 164 total yards, including 78 on the ground with all of that coming over the final three quarters.—
Brian Roach,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
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Christmas Eve is her favorite day of the year, but she’s just been informed that her adult children won’t be coming over tonight because her ex-husband has decided to throw an impromptu wedding reception after his impromptu courthouse wedding with his second wife.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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The Republican president has repeatedly criticized both Washington and Chicago — Democratic bastions led by Black mayors — for out-of-control street crime, despite crime rates dropping in the two cities.—
Daniel C. Vock,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stepping in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepping%20in. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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