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 The next and final steps in his rehab are to make back-to-back appearances and to come in during the middle of an inning. Tim Britton, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026 One of the first steps in allowing users to contribute to news was the addition of comments sections to news stories that were posted online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steps in
Verb
  • Bradley Cooper visits the Historic Grand Prix in Monaco ahead of shooting the Ocean's Eleven prequel, which is reportedly set during the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix, on April 26.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Today, Kelly visits his grandmother at her house in Roselle a couple of times a week.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 28 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
  • Now the same will be true for everyone who fills in the remainder of the coaching staff, both for the duration of this season and in the years to come.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • Just five times in the subsequent 26 games have the Mets scored more runs in a game than in one where they were shut out through nine.
    Tim Britton, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Most bike-friendly orders are short restaurant runs in dense neighborhoods that earn riders $15 to $25 per hour before expenses.
    Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • There’s a great exchange between Bishop and Kidd in the first episode, in which Bishop calls Kidd out on counting cards and says something about luck.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Tucked away in the more than 500 pages of city budget expenditures, the mayor calls for creating a new revenue stream by allowing people who own a second home to rent it out on a short-term basis, something that is currently prohibited.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 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 1 May. 2026.

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