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 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 Two thousand of them took their first steps in skates. Cary Goodman, New York Daily News, 23 Feb. 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steps in
Verb
  • Trump frequently visits his Mar-a-Lago estate and was there as recently as Monday morning.
    Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
  • No one ever visits Owens Lake; though you’re surrounded by concrete berms and metal piping, the setting is remote and still.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Once that trio had run themselves into the ground, substitutes Moore, Josh Windass and Nathan Broadhead took over to keep the pressure on.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Young Man in a Hurry substitutes status anxiety for race.
    Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In real-world conditions, that assumption often breaks down due to damage or interference, leading to major drops in performance.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
  • The hospital expects to see even more cuts, estimated to be more than $20 million, with drops in insurance coverage for Covered California recipients and other reimbursements over the next couple of years.
    Pat Maio, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • This new reality stands in contrast to Trump’s ability to move markets throughout his first term and into the outset of his second.
    Rob Wile, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Around that same time, Rebollo and Ilarde sought and were chosen to take part in a program at Petco Park that allows nonprofits to provide unpaid volunteers to staff concessions stands in return for about 10% of each stand’s revenue.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Evans immediately fills in as Brock Purdy’s top pass-catching option, and more moves could come with Jauan Jennings also in free agency.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
  • As the day progresses, the community fills in naturally.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Chaminade is 9-0 and came through with a break-through win over defending Mission League champion Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 7-6, scoring five runs in the seventh.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
  • This is especially important if high cholesterol runs in your family.
    Alexandria Nyembwe, Health, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Origin’s platform, powered by an AI engine the company calls Cuido, ingests and structures that fragmented data—from policies, contracts, renewals, broker reports, and vendor platforms—into a single, queryable system of record.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping represents one of more than 80 reported missing persons cases in the Tucson, Arizona, area, and calls attention to families' ceaseless efforts to locate loved ones.
    KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Steps in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steps%20in. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.

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