I cannot dance one single step of Salsa.
Source: tatoeba (2005)
Step
/stɛp/
Synonyms for "step" (612 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (123)
Noun(15 words)
abdicateaccelerateaccomplished factaccomplishmentaccording toaceachievementactactaactionactivityad hoc measureadventureambleambulateamountankleanswerappraiseappreciate
Show 84 more words
approachappropriate toarabesqueartificeassayassessattemptbandbe alertbe carefulbe cautiousbedbeddingbeltbestridebidbitblowboostbossboundbow outbowshotbrief spanbumpbypasscalculatecalibercalibratecalipercantercareerchassecheck a parametercircumambulateclipclopclose quartersclose rangecolophoncompasscomputeconcavityconsecutive intervalsconsistent withcontrivanceconventionalconvexitycouchecountermovecoupcoupecoursecourse of actioncrackcrosscutdactylogramdactylographdancedealingsdeckdecreasedeeddegreedemarchedentdevicedialdiapasondiatessarondiatonic intervaldiatonic semitonediminishdintdirectiondividedo somethingdodgedoingdoingsdoorstepdragdroop
Verb(1 words)
Adjective(3 words)
computational stepcomputational unitdanish måle
Strong matches (183)
earreachearshoteccentriceffortembossmentendeavorenharmonic diesisenharmonic intervalenterpriseescalateessayestimateevaluateexcrescenceexercise careexpediencyexpedientexperimentexploitextent
Show 124 more words
fait accomplifathomfeatfifthfingerprintflingfloorflouncefootfoot itfootfallfootmarkfootprintfootrestfootstepfordfossil footprintfourthfox trotfox-trotgaitgallerygallopgambadegambadogambitgaugegestgetget ahead ofgimmickgitgogo acrossgo bygo outgradationgradegraduallygraduategrapevinegunshothairhair spacehairbreadthhairsbreadthhalf stephalftonehandhandiworkhastenheighthightailhippety-hophitchhobblehoofhoof ithoofbeathophop alonghotfoothurry upichniteichnoliteimpressimpressionimprintimproveimprovisationin keeping within step withinchincreaseindentindentationindentioninitiativeintensifyintercedeinterfereintervalintervenejaywalkjobjogjog onjourneyjourneyingjumpjury rigjury-rigjury-rigged expedientkilometerkinkylast expedientlast resortlast shiftlayerleapleaveledgelegleg itless semitonelevellicklimplittlelittle wayslock steplooklopelumplurchmake hastemake tracksmakeshiftmaneuvermarchmarkmeansmeans to an endmeasure
Noun(31 words)
escalatefootfallfootfallsfootholdfootmarkfootstepfootstepsgerman intervallgo throughgradationgradationsgradualimprintincreaseincrease crank rotationincrementincrementalincrementsinstructionintensify
Adjective(3 words)
Preposition(1 words)
in stages
Related words (306)
Noun(51 words)
measure linguistic abilitymeasure ofmeasure social growthmeasure work capacitymedidamoisten the papermotion to changemovemove to changenotchespacepacesphasephasedphasesplodprancesproceedprogressproof item
Show 31 more words
measuresmelodic intervalmensuratemetemetermincemincing stepsmotionmovemovementnotchnotenuanceoctaveoffbeatofferoperationoverlayeroverstoryoverstride
Show 227 more words
overt actpacepadpaddleparallel octavespaspasspass bypass overpassagepathpaw printpawmarkpedestrianizepegperambulateperformanceperiodperipateticatepiafferpimplepis allerpistol shotpitchplaneplateauplumbpointpranceprintprizeprobeprocedureproceedproceedingprocessproductionprogressprogressionproportionpugpugmarkquantifyquantizequickstepquitrackraiserangerateratioreachreduceremoveres gestaeresignresortresourcerestretireriserrollroundrouteroutinerunrundlerungsaunterscalescopescuttlesealseamsecedesecondsemitoneseventhshadeshadowshake upshake-upshambleshelfshiftshoot ahead ofshort distanceshort pieceshort wayshotshuffleshuffle alongsidlesigilsignetsingle-footsixthsizesize upskipslinkslitherslouchslowlyslownesssocializesolutionsoundspacespanspeed upspitting distancespokespoorspringsprintstabstagestaggerstairstaircasestairsstairwaystalkstampstandardstavesteadilystep alongstep by stepstep downstep instep livelystep on itstep outstep stoolstep upstepladderstepping stonestepping-stonestepsstintstoopstopgapstorystraddlestratagemstratumstridestringstrokestroke of policystrollstrolling gaitstrong bidstrutstudstump itstuntsubstratumsuperstratumsupplantsurveyswaggerswingtactictake a readingtake caretake heedtake stepstemporary expedienttentativethicknessthingthing donethirdthumbmarkthumbprinttiertoddletonetopsoiltottertour de forcetracetracktracttraditionaltraipsetramptransactiontraveltravelstreadtrialtrial and errortriangulatetricktriptrooptrottrumptryturnunconventionalunderlayerunderstoryunderstratumundertakingunison intervalupvaluatevaluevelocityvestigewaddlewalkwayweighwhackwhole stepwithdrawworkworking hypothesisworking propositionworkszone
Adjective(4 words)
numbered entryofficial actionroutine motionshod walking
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: footprint, stair, stride, abdicate, abuse.
- Sentence evidence is available for step, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "step".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "step"
Keep "step" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "step" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "step", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "step" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
56 entriesShowing 16 of 56 words.
More specific
19 entriescheckpointgradualheel printincrementalmilestonephasedsequentialstair treadstep asidestep backstep forwardstep through protocolstep up enforcementstep up fundingstep up productionsubstep
Showing 16 of 19 words.
Collocations
13 entriesstair stepstep countstep functionstep heightstep intervalstep lengthstep protocolstep sizestep-by-stepstepped processstepping stonestepwisestepwise refinement
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
7 entriesSample sentences
47 total sentences available.
Your success depends on whether you pass the STEP examination or not.
Source: tatoeba (17025)
We've really got to step on it.
Source: tatoeba (19735)
Don't step on the broken glass.
Source: tatoeba (21238)
Showing 4 of 47 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "step"?
Closest matches include footprint, stair, stride, abdicate, abuse.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "step"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.