step aside

verb

stepped aside; stepping aside; steps aside

intransitive verb

: to withdraw from one's position or occupation : step down

Synonyms of step aside

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Examples of step aside in a Sentence

a newscaster who knew when it was time to step aside from the anchor desk and let a younger person take over the prime minister was compelled to step aside from his office when it was demonstrated that he had violated the public trust
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The album has spent 11 frames on the two lists, stepping aside only once. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Putin will eventually leave office, whether by death, illness, or—against all observable inclinations—stepping aside. — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026 Demis Hassabis, the founder and CEO of Google’s artificial intelligence division DeepMind, is stepping aside to a more advisory role, Google announced on Wednesday. — Billy Perrigo, Time, 6 Aug. 2026 The former Portuguese standout did not hold back on his calls for Infantino to step aside. — David Close, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for step aside

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of step aside was in 1949

Rhymes for step aside

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Browse Nearby Words

step-and-repeat
step aside
step back
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Cite this Entry

“Step aside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/step%20aside. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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