1
as in means
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
took steps to ensure that there would be no more incidences of food poisoning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in stage
an individual part of a process, series, or ranking
the manual enumerates every step in the procedure for shutting down the assembly line
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
5
as in inch
a very small distance or degree
he lives just a step away from his elderly mother, so he's there if she needs him for any reason
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to walk
to go on foot
I stepped across the street for a quick lunch at the new diner
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to dance
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
3
as in to hurry
to proceed or move quickly
many people wanted to linger before the president's bier, but guards kept the line of mourners stepping forward
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 step
Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Beyond the beach, the Ipojuca area has great hiking, including the Trilha das Marisqueiras, which is just steps away from the Bangalo Ecoara Residence Airbnb.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025
In a waiting room steps away from the hospital’s intensive care unit, a woman carrying brochures explained to Payne and the rest of the family that Black had identified himself as a possible organ donor on his ID.
—Kff Health News, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for step
Noun
To reach the top of the tallest tower, 1,000 feet in the air, scientists climb more than 1,500 steps.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Beyond the beach, the Ipojuca area has great hiking, including the Trilha das Marisqueiras, which is just steps away from the Bangalo Ecoara Residence Airbnb.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
Chase Sinzer and Josha Pinsky have launched two restaurants with outstanding wine programs—East Village’s Claud and Penny—but now the duo is stepping deeper into the vino world.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025
In a waiting room steps away from the hospital’s intensive care unit, a woman carrying brochures explained to Payne and the rest of the family that Black had identified himself as a possible organ donor on his ID.
—Kff Health News, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for step
Recent Examples of Synonyms for step
Noun
-
Daly noted that the Certification is part of a bigger plan to set the standard for what agility and future-readiness means in the automotive dealership industry.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Travelers looking for a luxurious experience at the Miami airport — and have the means to pay for it — will get a new private terminal opening in 2026.—
D.A. Varela,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The intermediate stage is known as ENSO-Neutral, when neither La Niña nor El Niño are present.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Of course, fans saw Gilmore Girls alums Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel also reunite on the stage at the Emmys to present an award.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Your own footsteps in the dust.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Sophia has followed in her parents' footsteps, making her acting debut in season 2 of Jordan Peele's CBS show The Twilight Zone in 2020, while Georgia has expressed an interest in politics and academics, attending Vassar College in New York.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But when their paths do cross, fireworks usually follow.—
Jay Paris,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Advertisement Kirk’s path to national prominence was unlike that of other MAGA icons.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The 9-inch monochrome CRT was retained, but the floppy drive no longer had a door, and the keyboard was extended with several special keys.—
Cameron Kaiser,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Add 2 inches of organic mulch around the base to retain moisture.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Zambia also invented the walking safari.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Law enforcement agents carrying machine guns and an officer with a police dog were among the few walking around.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Women in brightly colored dresses danced in shoes that loudly clicked across the floor.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Auroras — Crown of Light by Kavan Chay Photographer Kavan Chay took this spectacular image of a red, green and yellow aurora dancing through the starry sky above Tumbledown Bay in New Zealand on May 10, 2024 during a category G5 geomagnetic storm.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But a ship arrived and everyone hurried aboard without understanding a word of what the greeter was saying.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Some people never even showed, despite me calling them repeatedly to hurry up.—
Jack Hargreaves,
The Dial,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Step.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share