steps in

Definition of steps innext
present tense third-person singular of step in
1
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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of steps in Forging consensus Once in office, Warsh will head a Federal Open Market Committee populated with officials who have expressed misgivings about the next steps in monetary policy. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026 The Boston Public Schools had already taken similar steps in January, in response to a separate $53 million budget shortfall. Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026 Under Mayor Adams, the city took meaningful steps in the right direction. Latoya Williams-Belfort, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026 That has seen the club take some unusual steps in recent months. Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026 Set an agenda for a meeting, then confirm next steps in writing so good ideas don’t get forgotten. Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 2 Mar. 2026 Federal workers have taken the first steps in a $32 million maintenance of the Blue Mesa Dam, the largest of three dams that were built in the 1960s to create Colorado's biggest reservoir. Logan Smith, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026 Indeed, this proliferation of formats aligns with the proliferating number of steps in consumers’ fragrance routines. Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Feb. 2026 Aura steps in during those quiet stretches, offering engagement instead of an empty room. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steps in
Verb
  • One afternoon, the delegation visits the home of Yuri Kochiyama, a famed Japanese American activist, and meets her friend Malcolm X.
    Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Host Rachel Holt visits her Fort Point studio in Boston to explore her collection and discover what sets her work apart.
    Rachel Holt, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Agreed, but this bill substitutes the long, painstaking and complex work of fixing California’s troubled insurance market with finger-pointing and posturing.
    Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Rosenson said that if CRISPR is a scissor that cuts both strands of DNA, base editing is an eraser that substitutes one chemical letter, or base, in a single strand of DNA.
    David Cox, NBC news, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • That amounts to 3 drops in a 55-gallon barrel.
    Kaan Ozcan, NBC news, 13 Apr. 2026
  • They’re usually given as drops in the mouth, not shots, WebMD said.
    Don Sweeney April 6, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • On the cover photo, the artist stands in the back, in the shadows, allowing the people who shaped her project to take center stage.
    Elisa Wouk Almino Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
  • The latter effort unintentionally stands in stark contrast to the views of prominent politicians who publicly disrespect POW bravery.
    Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • There, Sam unleashes reams upon reams of monologues about their past at a teary Mary, who fills in a few gaps.
    Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 18 Apr. 2026
  • Besotted Rob’s surprise plan was to propose to Bethany in Paris — as revealed to us in omnipotent voice-over (by Jacek Zubiel) that fills in the feelings and backstories of our protagonists.
    Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • After the Twins tied the score with a ninth-inning rally of their own, Garrett Acton yielded three unearned runs in a 7-4 loss to the Reds in 10 innings.
    Dan Hayes, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Visions du Réel runs in Nyon until April 26.
    Lise Pedersen, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • America's oldest brewery calls Pennsylvania home.
    Nikki DeMentri, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The break clock starts when management calls it, that includes the walk across the warehouse floor.
    Rey Covarrubias Jr, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Steps in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steps%20in. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster