step out

verb

stepped out; stepping out; steps out

intransitive verb

1

: to go away from a place usually for a short distance and for a short time

2

: to go or march at a vigorous or increased pace

3

: die

4

: to lead an active social life

5

: to be unfaithful

—usually used with on

had been stepping out on his wife

Synonyms

• cheat
• philander
• screw around

Examples of step out in a Sentence

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

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

Recent Examples on the Web

The mother-daughter duo stepped out for the Golden Globes First-time Nominees Luncheon at Maybourne Beverly Hills on Tuesday, Dec. 17. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 18 Dec. 2024

Celebrity babies, that is: Stars like Jennifer Lawrence, Megan Fox, and Hailey Bieber all stepped out as proud moms-to-be, totally redefining maternity style in the process. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2024

The Bottega Veneta ambassador also stepped out in New York City dressed in the Italian fashion house’s trompe-l’œil leather jeans, button-down shirt and necktie. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 17 Dec. 2024

When Danny and his best friend Jason (Brett Dier) plan to pitch their agency to a dating app, Danny decides to step out of his comfort zone and explore the world of online dating, in part for research. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

step out

verb

: to go away from a place usually for a short distance and for a short time