STEPS Synonyms: 191 Similar and Opposite Words

steps 1 of 2

noun

plural of step

as in path

the direction along which something or someone moves their steps led them through a long corridor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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steps

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of step

as in walks

to go on foot I stepped across the street for a quick lunch at the new diner

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in dances

to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music she was in her element, happily stepping around the dance floor

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in speeds

to proceed or move quickly many people wanted to linger before the president's bier, but guards kept the line of mourners stepping forward

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of steps

Noun

But all of these methods come second to taking steps to protect ourselves directly, experts emphasize. — Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 14 July 2026 Community helps deli Khalid Sarsour, who owns Garden Gourmet Deli and Grill, was standing right next to the register when the crash happened, just steps away from where the car struck his store. — Jenna Deangelis, CBS News, 13 July 2026 Examples are a prompt that orders the LLM to provide steps for developing inhalable Anthrax spores, or, in the case of LLMs from Chinese developers, make references to the iconic Tank Man from the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026 For those who worry whether leaving your career could negatively impact your next steps, there is ample evidence for both the young and old that the opposite is true. — Dj Didonna, Time, 13 July 2026 Former professional boxer Patricia Alcivar, 46, also had to rethink her next steps after suffering injuries that included a hyperextended elbow, broken toes and multiple stitches above her eye. — ABC News, 13 July 2026 However, the company has taken steps to diversify Hoka's offerings. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 July 2026 The Kettle Valley Beach Resort sits steps from Lake Okanagan, an ideal place to spend an afternoon at the beach. — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026 Despite this, 17% of prospective homebuyers have not taken any steps to improve their credit score ahead of a purchase, the survey showed. — Medora Lee, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Verb

The new 6th Street Bridge, hailed as a civic landmark just steps away, was promptly stripped of its wiring by vandals and now sits pitch black at night. — Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 By Saturday afternoon, as thousands of people waited in hours-long lines to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall just steps away, handmade signs were back, as were new printouts from this morning’s Inquirer about the site. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026 Into this environment steps Daniel Dines, founder and CEO of UiPath — a man who built one of the world's largest automation companies and therefore has every commercial incentive to tell you machines can replace people. — Gabriel Alin Zainescu, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 The neighborhood/area A lack of on-site dining is no matter, as there are a number of intriguing restaurants just steps away along the Marina Puerto Vallarta. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 July 2026 Thirteen people died and more than 50 were injured at the site just steps away from DePaul University. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 The march steps off Sunday at noon. — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 28 June 2026 The mid-tier D2 steps things up considerably. — New Atlas, 23 June 2026 Lionel Messi steps to the circle with a chance at the record. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for steps

Noun

In the episode, Monsignor Sarno — who spent 40 years working with the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints — said canonization is meant to highlight an individual’s life path as an example for conscience in their specific circumstance.

— Vivian Wilson, Twin Cities, 8 July 2026
Germany, with its robust manufacturing economy, ramped up its defense spending with a clear path to reaching the 5% target.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 8 July 2026

Definition of path

Verb

Expecting plenty of goals and a potential draw between Norway and England, Drew Dinsick walks Trysta Krick through his betting approach for one of the World Cup's most anticipated quarterfinal matchups.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 12 July 2026
Yanez, meanwhile, walks away with the biggest scalp of his career and real momentum after a lost 2025.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026

Definition of walks

Verb

For example, in tenant onboarding, using AI to automatically auto-fill and email a 50-page PDF lease just speeds up the generation of a static, cumbersome document that still requires manual follow-ups.

— Ali Hoss, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Frequent mowing keeps clippings small, preventing smothering and speeds up decomposition for reuse.

— Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 21 June 2026

Definition of speeds

Noun

Owners who live close to a quality shop, have open schedules and don’t mind handling drop-offs and pickups may find the traditional route just as effective at a lower price.

— Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways said teams were working to repair the damage and restore the route, and that other arrangements are being made to transport passengers to Mashhad via road, IRIB said.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 9 July 2026

Definition of route

Verb

This stone stays cool even in direct sunlight, with varied blues complementing the historic stonework and bluestone stair treads.

— Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 23 June 2026
The paper treads similar ground as previous research, which has noted large language models’ ability to search genomes for genes that have been sequenced after a patient was first seen in a hospital.

— Jared Perlo, NBC news, 18 June 2026

Definition of treads

Verb

If someone hurries you, slow the exchange and name what feels good in your body, like sitting down before deciding on plans.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026
Nix almost always hurries his throws when a blitz comes Harvey’s way, regardless of whether the rookie RB picks it up capably or not.

— Luca Evans, Denver Post, 23 Dec. 2025

Definition of hurries

Noun

Should the seafood-averse find their way through the door, look to an excellent roast chicken in ham jus, accompanied by a welcome splotch of mustard.

— Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
This one seems to wrap all the way around the entirety of his head, emitting light that’s supposed to be beneficial for his scalp and hair growth.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 July 2026