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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steps in
Verb
  • Bourne, who has a 22-year-old son who visits the area, said the tighter rules give him more peace of mind.
    Abby Dodge, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
  • In 2024, the port hosted fewer than 4,000 passengers from a half-dozen ships—a tiny fraction of the traffic that visits other Alaskan destinations such as Ketchikan.
    Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Executive interpretation increasingly substitutes for legislative intent.
    Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Charlton hit back through Miles Leaburn’s 57th-minute goal, but Marc Guiu swiftly replied and substitutes Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez put the gloss on the scoreline in stoppage time.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Dip Buyer Analyses for insights on how the stock has recovered from significant drops in the past.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Now, but as the statistics and figures come in here in Minneapolis, there's double-digit drops in crime, coupled with a lot of bad people and bad things being taken off of your streets.
    Esme Murphy, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • That stands in stark contrast to cities like Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Denver and Portland which use a variety of funding streams to pay for a range of indigent services.
    Chaya Tong, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
  • If the rest of the lineup holds, the Rock the Country festival will be held in two-night stands in cities around the country this spring and summer.
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • As the day progresses, the community fills in naturally.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
  • Phibbs said his grandmother’s story is integral and historically fills in gaps recognizing people who might have been either overlooked or there wasn’t enough information on them.
    Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • His assistant coach, Pablo Remon Arteta, is Mikel Arteta’s cousin, a detail seized upon by the local media, hopeful that defensive organisation runs in that family.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Previously, this event would see one skier take on runs in both downhill and slalom.
    Isabel Yip, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Continue reading … JUDGE ON TRIAL — Supreme Court justice defends Grammys attendance as senator calls for investigation.
    , FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Phone calls from customers to the company’s Miramar headquarters went unanswered and about 35 of its distinctive bright yellow trucks sat unattended in the front and back parking lots.
    Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 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 14 Feb. 2026.

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