1
as in visits
to make a brief visit
I just stepped in to say hi on my way to class
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in substitutes
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of steps in
The federal officer steps in front of the Honda SUV, parked nearly perpendicular across a one-way residential street in Minneapolis, with snow piled up on the curb.
—
Claire Galofaro, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
City Councilman steps in Baltimore City Councilman Mark Parker said he's heard from several neighbors about the issue.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Taipei has taken several steps in recent years to incorporate drones into its military doctrine.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
While the water utility doesn’t yet have an official stance on the bill, Moore said his initial impression is that the measure is taking steps in the right direction.
—Emily L Mahoney, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
Colman Domingo plays stern patriarch Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays matriarch Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller steps in as attorney/advisor John Branca, and Larenz Tate brings Motown mogul Berry Gordy to life.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 6 Nov. 2025
Another peptide, hexapeptide-11, steps in as a protective shield, slowing the breakdown of your natural HA so those moisture levels stay high over time.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 30 Oct. 2025
In one frightening scene, Springsteen steps in and hits his dad with a baseball bat in an effort to protect his mom.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
That’s when battery storage steps in, offsetting the need to use older, less efficient, and more costly resources to keep homes powered and costs stable.
—Erin Smith, Boston Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
Claire Galofaro, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
City Councilman steps in Baltimore City Councilman Mark Parker said he's heard from several neighbors about the issue.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Taipei has taken several steps in recent years to incorporate drones into its military doctrine.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
While the water utility doesn’t yet have an official stance on the bill, Moore said his initial impression is that the measure is taking steps in the right direction.
—Emily L Mahoney, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
Colman Domingo plays stern patriarch Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays matriarch Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller steps in as attorney/advisor John Branca, and Larenz Tate brings Motown mogul Berry Gordy to life.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 6 Nov. 2025
Another peptide, hexapeptide-11, steps in as a protective shield, slowing the breakdown of your natural HA so those moisture levels stay high over time.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 30 Oct. 2025
In one frightening scene, Springsteen steps in and hits his dad with a baseball bat in an effort to protect his mom.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
That’s when battery storage steps in, offsetting the need to use older, less efficient, and more costly resources to keep homes powered and costs stable.
—Erin Smith, Boston Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steps in
Verb
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Newsome takes in Elland Road as an ex-player in the hospitality lounges nowadays, and visits away grounds as a summariser for BBC Radio Leeds.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The seven-night Alaska Dawes Glacier itinerary on Celebrity Edge cruises round-trip from Seattle and visits Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria, sailing through the scenic Endicott Arm and Inside Passage along the way.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Target’s four-person meal costs less than $20, about the same as in 2024, but substitutes green beans and cream of mushroom soup for French bread and frozen corn — also not an apples-to-apples comparison.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund report released on Tuesday shows total line-of-duty deaths dropped from 148 in 2024 to 111 last year, with drops in every fatality category.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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The city of Los Angeles just recorded its lowest homicide total in more than half a century, mirroring precipitous drops in many other large cities nationwide last year — and sparking a range of theories about what’s going on.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This strategy stands in stark contrast to other major AI players, who have raced to ink billion-dollar deals to bolster their leadership on the technology.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
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If Gala stands in for both feminism and fun, Lane’s realization suggests a growing understanding that women—and everyone else, presumably—need both in order to be whole.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In addition to Part D, people who opt for traditional Medicare also usually pay for supplemental coverage, known as Medigap coverage, which fills in some of the services left out of Medicare coverage.—
Suzanne King,
Kansas City Star,
21 Oct. 2025
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Tom, by contrast, argues for a more imaginative reconstruction of what has been lost, the kind of history that fills in silences.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Brown was an assistant on Steve Kerr’s bench for their final three title runs in 2017, 2018 and 2022.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
8 Jan. 2026
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Those who had VenApp before August 2024 can access it on their smartphones, and the government also created and sponsored a mobile version that runs in browsers.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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HotHands Hand Warmers 40-pack Even if the forecast calls for a warm day, the crisp and cool afternoon can require some extra tools to stay warm.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
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The current design of the contemporary-looking restaurant calls for a large, 42-seat indoor bar that opens out onto the patio, and a smaller outdoor bar that can seat 15.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Steps in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steps%20in. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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