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step down

to resign from a position

In Phrasal Verbs

In more detail

1. (verb) to resign from a position of power or responsibility

2. (verb) to walk down from a higher to a lower level

Examples

• 1. The CEO decided to step down after 20 years with the company.
• 2. He carefully stepped down from the ladder.

How to use step down

When referring to leaving a position, step down emphasizes a deliberate, often dignified withdrawal, frequently used in formal or political contexts. The phrase can also denote the physical action of descending from a higher surface to a lower one, though this meaning is less common in modern usage and sounds somewhat dated.

Common phrases

• step down from office
• step down as CEO
• step down from power
• step down gracefully
• step down from the podium

Synonyms

resign · quit · abdicate · stand down · relinquish

Opposites

take up · assume · ascend

Word family

step · down · stepped down · stepping down

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse step down with step up (to accept greater responsibility), which is nearly the opposite; step down specifically means to relinquish or leave a role, not to enter one.

Nearby in Phrasal Verbs

sort out, stand for, stand out, stick to, sum up, take after

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained