STEPS Synonyms: 191 Similar and Opposite Words

steps 1 of 2

noun

plural of step

as in path

the direction along which something or someone moves their steps led them through a long corridor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

steps

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of step

as in walks

to go on foot I stepped across the street for a quick lunch at the new diner

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in dances

to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music she was in her element, happily stepping around the dance floor

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as in speeds

to proceed or move quickly many people wanted to linger before the president's bier, but guards kept the line of mourners stepping forward

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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 steps

Noun

The Mamdani administration has taken encouraging steps, including offering free naloxone by mail through its Just in Case campaign and investing $12 million to train and employ 500 additional peer specialists. — Joel Teron, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026 That combination—a hard deadline six years out and a Congress that can’t agree on next steps—is precisely what Shedden says is pushing clients toward the exits early, even though claiming at 62 locks in a permanently smaller monthly check for life. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 Because the Court lacked a permanent abode, Marshall read out the ruling from the steps outside Stelle’s Hotel, on Capitol Hill. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Here’s how to start in 3 simple steps How long will $1 million last in retirement? — Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 The bill passed by the Legislature on Sunday requires victims older than 40 to provide evidence that the public entity was aware of the misconduct that resulted in the assault and failed to take reasonable steps to avoid it. — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Anyone in Livingston County who believes they've been exposed is asked to capture the bat, report the exposure by filling out a form on the health department's website and call department staff at 517‑552‑6882 for testing guidance and next steps. — Nicholas Lentz, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 Anthropic, the maker of Claude AI software, has taken aggressive steps to decrease its reliance on Nvidia. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026 Jean called on Haitian authorities to take the necessary steps to stop the bloodshed and dismantle the armed groups. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026

Verb

Blanding was pregnant with her first child at the time, and the sisters quickly began imagining what life could look like with their separate homes just steps away from each other. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026 Here, the five-course tasting menu is based around what’s fresh on the farm, just steps away. — Mark Johansen, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026 As a result of her refusal, the entire kingdom is cursed to live without love and anyone who steps foot inside it is also cursed. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026 Its new Grok Bot can take control of a computer and carry out digital work on its own, even after the user steps away. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026 It’s supposed to be a portal that Kris steps through to get into Billy’s world of play that she’s constructed, almost this fantasy world. — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026 Here, members of Forbes Technology Council share steps tech leaders can take to build teams where everyone can participate, grow and thrive. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Zach Carter steps on floating peat mat in the Okefenokee Swamp, Tuesday, August 12, 2025, in Folkston. — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 25 July 2026 So now Warner steps forcefully toward his comeback game in September against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia — with purpose. — Dan Pompei, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for steps

Noun

Her path is profoundly reshaped by an encounter with Mari (Okamoto), a Japanese theater director battling cancer.

— Zac Ntim, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
Security camera footage shows the shocking moment flood water crashes through the Nepal-China border area, with people seen running away as the water appears to wipe out everything in its path.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of path

Verb

Edgewater defensive tackle Wes Hendry walks off the field with cramps.

— Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
Every year, more than 27,000 members of the Television Academy — actors and editors, showrunners and composers, the people who actually make television — sit down with their ballots and decide who walks away with an Emmy.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of walks

Verb

Jennifer Corey dances the Viennese Waltz with student Michael Moore Thursday, March 12, 2015, at the Denver Turnverein in Denver, Colorado.

— Christa Swanson, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
The Dancing Queen dances like no one is watching, however, all eyes are on her.

— Abigail Dollins, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of dances

Noun

Check the requirement, confirm the route, draft the plan, or ask one better question.

— Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
Together, Jaybush, Brad Chambers, and the American Heavy Moving team figured out a route through the city that avoided street trees, tight turns, and roads that run above old, fragile sewer pipes, which aren’t rated for heavy loads.

— Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of route

Verb

Through rapid-fire verbal repartee, constant close-ups, and frantic cuts, Deramas treads a careful line between tragedy and comedy, the latter a psychological weapon against the former.

— Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
Speaking of the houseboat, the finale treads some familiar ground for Lewis.

— Hunter Ingram, Variety, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of treads

Verb

If someone hurries you, slow the exchange and name what feels good in your body, like sitting down before deciding on plans.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026
Nix almost always hurries his throws when a blitz comes Harvey’s way, regardless of whether the rookie RB picks it up capably or not.

— Luca Evans, Denver Post, 23 Dec. 2025

Definition of hurries

Noun

But even as the culture seems fairly concerned with the way famous women look, and the impact these images have on young girls and teenagers, the conversation around men and their body image has been lean.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
Much of rising demand reflects a shift in the way AI systems are consuming AI compute, particularly as the use of agentic AI becomes more widespread, Huang explained.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026