Steps — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb phrase /ˈstep/ (noun) /ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌstep/ (noun) /ˈgüs-ˌstep/ (verb) /ˈwən-ˌstep/ (noun) /(ˌ)rē-ˈtrās/ (verb)

Meaning & Definition of Steps

Steps (noun)

  1. a rest for the foot in ascending or descending
  2. one of a series of structures consisting of a riser and a tread
  3. a ladder rung
  4. a very small step or advance in progress
  5. a step taken in opposition to another step
  6. a straight-legged stiff-kneed step used by troops of some armies when passing in review
  7. a walking step of 15 inches or in double time of 18 inches
  8. a musical interval (such as E-F or B-C) equivalent to 1/12 of an octave —called also semitone
  9. a ballroom dance in 2/4 time marked by quick walking steps backward and forward
  10. music used for the one-step

Steps (verb)

  1. to move by raising the foot and bringing it down elsewhere or by moving each foot in succession
  2. dance
  3. to go on foot, walk
  4. to march in a goose step
  5. to practice an unthinking conformity
  6. to trace (something) again or back
  7. to go over or along (something, such as a course or path) again often in a reverse direction
  8. to go over (something) again in memory, recall

Steps (phrase)

  1. to go back along the one way has come

Steps (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the direction along which something or someone moves

    "their steps led them through a long corridor"

    similar: course, line, path, pathway, route, routeway (chiefly British), track, way
    related: circle, circuit, loop, orbit, arc, flight path, trajectory, ascent, descent

Steps (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to go on foot

    "I stepped across the street for a quick lunch at the new diner"

    similar: ambulates, foots (it), hoofs (it), legs (it), pads, traipses, treads, walks
    related: parades, promenades, marches, paces, steps out, strides, troops, power walks, hikes, peregrinates, treks, ambles, moseys, perambulates, rambles, saunters, strolls, wanders, clumps, stomps, stumps, tramples, tramps, tromps, footslogs, plods, trudges, gimps, hobbles, limps, minces, prances, pussyfoots, tiptoes, bounces, sashays, stalks, struts, swaggers, falters, lumbers, lurches, pounds, scuffs, shambles, shuffles, staggers, stumbles, toddles, waddles, nips, taps, trips, trots

  2. to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music

    "she was in her element, happily stepping around the dance floor"

    similar: dances, foots (it), hoofs (it), shakes a leg, trips the light fantastic
    related: prances, struts, trips, boogies, bops, fox-trots, gavottes, jigs, jitterbugs, jives, mambos, polkas, shags, shimmies, shuffles, tangos, tap-dances, twists, waltzes, treads

  3. to proceed or move quickly

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

    similar: barrels, belts, blasts, blazes, blows, bolts, bombs (slang), bowls, breezes, bundles, bustles, buzzes, cannonballs, careens, careers, chases, courses, cracks (on), dashes, drives, flies, hares, hastens, hies, highballs, hotfoots (it), humps, hurls, hurries, hurtles, hustles, jets, jumps, motors, nips, pelts, races, rams, rips, rockets, runs, rushes, rustles, scoots, scurries, scuttles, shoots, speeds, tears, travels, trots, whirls, whisks, zips, zooms, beats it, gets a move on, makes tracks, shakes a leg, steps on it
    related: beetles, darts, flits, scampers, scuds, scuffles, stampedes, streaks, whizzes, gallops, jogs, sprints, accelerates, quickens, steps out, catches up, fast-forwards, outpaces, outruns, outstrips, overtakes, arrows, beelines
    opposite: crawls, creeps, pokes
    near: dallies, dawdles, dillydallies, drags, hangs (around or out), lags, lingers, loiters, pokes, tarries, ambles, lumbers, plods, saunters, shuffles, strolls, decelerates, slows (down or up)

Related Entry: Step (noun)

Step is a different word from Steps. The synonyms below are for step, not for steps.

  1. an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result

    "took steps to ensure that there would be no more incidences of food poisoning"

    similar: expedient, means, measure, move, shift
    related: act, action, deed, doing, feat, thing, course, procedure, proceeding, process, accomplishment, achievement, attainment, coup, exploit, success, triumph, activity, affair, business, dealing, enterprise, event, attempt, crack, endeavor, essay, fling, go, initiative, operation, pass, shot, stab, trial, try, undertaking, whack, effort, exertion, labor, pains, trouble, while, work, project, proposal, proposition, makeshift, resort, resource, stopgap, countermeasure, countermove, counterstep

  2. an individual part of a process, series, or ranking

    "the manual enumerates every step in the procedure for shutting down the assembly line"

    similar: chapter, cut, degree, grade, inch, notch, peg, phase, place, point, stage
    related: angle, aspect, facet, side, amount, measure, plane, decrement, increment

  3. the mark or impression made by a foot

    "steps in the sand leading into the water and back out again"

    similar: footmark, footprint, footstep, trace, vestige
    related: hoofprint, pug, spoor, track, tread

  4. the direction along which something or someone moves

    "their steps led them through a long corridor"

    similar: course, line, path, pathway, route, routeway (chiefly British), track, way
    related: circle, circuit, loop, orbit, arc, flight path, trajectory, ascent, descent

  5. a very small distance or degree

    "he lives just a step away from his elderly mother, so he's there if she needs him for any reason"

    similar: ace, hair, hairbreadth, hairline, hop, skip, and jump, inch, neck, shouting distance, stone's throw
    related: bit, crumb, dab, iota, jot, minim, mite, particle, smidgen, trace, trifle
    opposite: country mile, long haul, mile
    near: infinity, light-year

Related Entry: Step (verb)

Step is a different word from Steps. The synonyms below are for step, not for steps.

  1. to go on foot

    "I stepped across the street for a quick lunch at the new diner"

    similar: ambulate, foot (it), hoof (it), leg (it), pad, traipse, tread, walk
    related: parade, promenade, march, pace, step out, stride, troop, power walk, hike, peregrinate, trek, amble, mosey, perambulate, ramble, saunter, stroll, wander, clump, stomp, stump, tramp, trample, tromp, footslog, plod, trudge, gimp, hobble, limp, mince, prance, pussyfoot, tiptoe, bounce, sashay, stalk, strut, swagger, falter, lumber, lurch, pound, scuff, shamble, shuffle, stagger, stumble, toddle, waddle, nip, tap, trip, trot

  2. to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music

    "she was in her element, happily stepping around the dance floor"

    similar: dance, foot (it), hoof (it), shake a leg, trip the light fantastic
    related: prance, strut, trip, boogie, bop, fox-trot, gavotte, jig, jitterbug, jive, mambo, polka, shag, shimmy, shuffle, tango, tap-dance, twist, waltz, tread

  3. to proceed or move quickly

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

    similar: barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, run, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom, beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it
    related: beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle, stampede, streak, whiz, gallop, jog, sprint, accelerate, quicken, step out, catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake, arrow, beeline
    opposite: crawl, creep, poke
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up)

Related Entry: Step (along) (verb)

Step (along) is a different word from Steps. The synonyms below are for step (along), not for steps.

  1. to leave a place often for another

    "now that my ride's here, I'll be stepping along"

    similar: bail, bail out, begone, book (slang), bug off, bug out, bugger off (British slang), buzz (off), clear off (chiefly British), clear out, cut out, depart, dig out, exit, get, get off, go, go off, move, pack (up or off), part, peel off, pike (out or off), pull out, push off, push on, quit, run along, sally (forth), scarper (British), shove (off), take off, vamoose, walk out, beat it, hit the road, pull stakes, take a hike, take a powder
    related: set out, start, strike out, abscond, decamp, escape, evacuate, flee, fly, get out, mizzle (chiefly British), run away, scat, scram, skip, go out, light out, step out, abandon, desert, forsake, vacate, emigrate, adjourn, remove, retire, retreat, withdraw
    opposite: arrive, come, show up, turn up
    near: abide, dwell, lodge, remain, settle, stay, tarry, approach, close, near, hit, land, reach

Related Entry: Steps (on) (verb)

Steps (on) is a different word from Steps. The synonyms below are for steps (on), not for steps.

  1. as in runs over, runs down

    similar: overrides, runs down, runs over, champs, stamps, stomps, tramples, tramps, tromps, mashes, pulps, smashes, squashes, squelches, boots, hoofs, kicks

Related Entry: Steps in (verb)

Steps in is a different word from Steps. The synonyms below are for steps in, not for steps.

  1. to make a brief visit

    "I just stepped in to say hi on my way to class"

    similar: calls, comes by, comes over, drops by, drops in, pops (in), runs in, runs (over), stops (by or in), visits
    related: barges (in), looks up, sees, bops (into), happens (by), frequents, hangs (at), haunts, resorts (to)

  2. 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"

    similar: covers, fills in, pinch-hits, stands in, subs, substitutes, takes over
    related: understudies, relieves, spells, doubles (as)

Related Entry: Steps out (verb)

Steps out is a different word from Steps. The synonyms below are for steps out, not for steps.

  1. to be sexually unfaithful

    "if she catches him stepping out on her, she'll divorce him without a moment's hesitation"

    similar: cheats, philanders, screws around
    related: cats (around), fools around, fornicates, plays (around), tomcats (around), womanizes, copulates, couples, lies, makes out, mates, sleeps, lusts

  2. to stop living

    "my greedy relatives are only being nice to me because they expect me to step out any time now"

    similar: checks out, conks (out), croaks (slang), deceases, demises, departs, dies, drops, ends, exits, expires, falls, flatlines, goes, kicks in (slang), kicks off (slang), parts, passes away, passes (on), pegs out (chiefly British), perishes, pops off, succumbs, bites the dust, buys it, gives up the ghost, kicks the bucket, snuffs it (British)
    related: predeceases, consumes, disappears, dries up, fades, fails
    opposite: breathes, lives
    near: comes to, revives, lingers, exists, is, subsists, flourishes, prospers, thrives

  3. to take part in social activities

    "waited until a year after her husband's death before stepping out again"

    similar: associates, fraternizes, goes out, hobnobs, mingles, mixes, socializes, rubs elbows
    related: carouses, parties, revels, circulates
    near: avoids, eschews, shuns, slights, snubs

Related Entry: Steps up (verb)

Steps up is a different word from Steps. The synonyms below are for steps up, not for steps.

  1. to make markedly greater in measure or degree

    "candidates stepping up their campaigns as election day draws near"

    "stepped up the pace to catch up with the others"

    similar: accentuates, amplifies, amps (up), beefs (up), boosts, consolidates, deepens, enhances, heightens, intensifies, magnifies, redoubles, strengthens
    related: broadens, enlarges, expands, extends, lengthens, accelerates, hastens, quickens, emphasizes, points (up), sharpens, stresses, augments, enforces, reinforces, restrengthens, supplements, maximizes, enlivens, jazzes (up), aggravates, exacerbates
    opposite: abates, moderates
    near: decreases, diminishes, lessens, lets up (on), reduces, subdues, tones (down), weakens, dwindles, recedes, subsides, tapers (off), wanes, alleviates, eases, lightens

Related Entry: Steps into (phrase)

Steps into is a different word from Steps. The synonyms below are for steps into, not for steps.

  1. to go or come in or into

    "Please step into my office."

    similar: accesses, enters, penetrates, pierces, sets foot in
    related: barges (in), breezes (in), bursts (in or into), waltzes (in), drops in, pops (in), strays (into), wanders (into), crashes, encroaches, gate-crashes, infiltrates, infringes, intrudes, invades, trespasses
    opposite: departs, exits, leaves

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Steps

The most common words with a similar meaning to Steps:

Chiefly British: routeway
Slang: bombs
course, line, path, pathway, route, track, way, ambulates, foots (it), hoofs (it), legs (it), pads, traipses, treads, walks, dances, barrels, belts, blasts, blazes, blows, bolts, bowls, breezes, bundles, bustles, buzzes, cannonballs, careens, careers, chases, courses, cracks (on), dashes, drives, flies, hares, hastens, hies, highballs

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Steps

Words with the opposite meaning of Steps:

crawls, creeps, pokes

Related Words for Steps

circle, circuit, loop, orbit, arc, flight path, trajectory, ascent, descent, parades, promenades, marches, paces, steps out, strides, troops, power walks, hikes, peregrinates, treks, ambles, moseys, perambulates, rambles, saunters, strolls, wanders, clumps, stomps, stumps

Near Antonyms of Steps

dallies, dawdles, dillydallies, drags, hangs (around or out), lags, lingers, loiters, tarries, ambles, lumbers, plods, saunters, shuffles, strolls, decelerates, slows (down or up)

Word Forms of Steps

Inflections: stepped, stepping, countersteps, counter-steps, goose-stepped, goose-stepping, goose-steps, retraced, retracing

Derived words: steplike (adjective), stepped (adjective), baby-step (verb, transitive + intransitive), one-step (intransitive verb), retraceability (noun), retraceable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Steps

Middle English, from Old English stæpe; akin to Old High German stapfo step, stampfōn to stamp

First known use: before 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Steps

retrace one's steps

Frequently Asked Questions about Steps

What does "Steps" mean?

"Steps" means a rest for the foot in ascending or descending. As an a noun, a verb and a phrase, it is defined as: a rest for the foot in ascending or descending. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Steps"?

Other words for "Steps" include course, line, path, pathway, route, routeway, track and way. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Steps" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Steps"?

There are 176 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Steps". Common alternatives include course, line, path, pathway, route, routeway, track, way, ambulates and foots (it).

What is the opposite of "Steps"?

Antonyms of "Steps" include crawls, creeps and pokes. Near antonyms include dallies, dawdles, dillydallies and drags.

How do you use "Steps" in a sentence?

Examples of "Steps" in a sentence: "their steps led them through a long corridor"; "I stepped across the street for a quick lunch at the new diner"; "she was in her element, happily stepping around the dance floor".

Is "Steps" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Steps" can be used as a noun, a verb and a phrase, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Steps"?

"Steps" is pronounced /ˈstep/ as a noun, /ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌstep/ as a noun, /ˈgüs-ˌstep/ as a verb, /ˈwən-ˌstep/ as a noun and /(ˌ)rē-ˈtrās/ as a verb.

What is the origin of the word "Steps"?

"Steps" comes from Middle English, from Old English stæpe; akin to Old High German stapfo step, stampfōn to stamp. First known use: before 12th century.