steps in

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 Then an engineer steps in and returns the towel to a crumpled heap, and the sequence begins again. Billy Perrigo, Time, 9 Oct. 2025 After taking steps in his defensive game last season, Matthews continued to track back and make decisive plays with his stick while defending. Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 For instance, aim to walk 2,000 steps in the morning, 2,000 on your lunch break, and the remaining in the evening. Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 2 Oct. 2025 Eliminating window portholes can also reduce steps in the construction process, which the company says should help lower manufacturing costs. Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 2 Oct. 2025 Oscar winner Kim Basinger also steps in as Elena Lincoln, Christian's former lover and business partner. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025 The Administration already has taken significant steps in those areas. Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 Some steps in the report can presumably be accomplished quickly, and may indeed improve America’s health, even if modestly. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2025 Next steps in testing Right now, people must breathe into a bag for accurate results. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steps in
Verb
  • In the wake of a hurricane, Douglas visits Wortzel in a dream, catalyzing a prismatic journey across the Everglades with Miccosukee educator and activist Betty Osceola and interweaving Douglas’ writing with personal narration, present-day verité and rare archival footage.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
  • What to Know Saudi Arabia hopes to finalize the deal when MBS visits the White House next month.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • For some, the social capital of friends, community groups, and online donors now substitutes for financial capital.
    Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In São Paulo, bars and restaurants in wealthy districts such as Itaim Bibi, Pinheiros and Berrini report steep drops in customers and cancellations of reservations.
    Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Flacco was repeatedly victimized by drops in Cleveland, but that issue shouldn’t be a significant problem with the Bengals.
    Andy Behrens, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The day stands in direct opposition to the Western doctrine of discovery and the mythologizing of colonization.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025
  • After the two dates in Los Angeles, the Fifty Something Tour will then go to Mexico City for one show, followed by two-night stands in Fort Worth, Chicago, New York and Toronto.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Tom, by contrast, argues for a more imaginative reconstruction of what has been lost, the kind of history that fills in silences.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Cooler weather fills in behind the front Thursday, becoming drier into the weekend.
    Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Pino is more technically adept than Sarr, a threat with his direct, intelligent runs in behind back lines and his calm finishing.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The pitching duo is also the first since 1983 to go at least eight innings and give up one or no runs in the opening two games of a postseason series, according to MLB.
    Ben Morse, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The impact of individual protests and boycotts is difficult to measure, but Israeli producers and filmmakers agree that calls to isolate the Israeli industry have been broadly successful.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
  • That calls for a little extra creativity from its mom — and the movie’s narrator (Emilia Clarke) — who wriggles her mandibles and gets to work embellishing upon what Dahl imagined.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Steps in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steps%20in. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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