step aside

verb

stepped aside; stepping aside; steps aside

intransitive verb

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

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.
Yet Hamas may well agree to step aside—at least for now. Dennis Ross, Foreign Affairs, 3 Feb. 2025 If that support starts to crumble, and if Hamas is faced with a choice between total isolation — leading to Gaza's continued destruction—and stepping aside in exchange for reconstruction and legitimacy under the PA, cracks could begin to form in its leadership. David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025 After Biden and Trump’s June debate and calls for the president to step aside ahead of the election, Pelosi held conversations with other lawmakers to urge Biden to withdraw from the race and allow someone else the chance to take on Trump. Jesse Byrnes, The Hill, 16 Jan. 2025 Nevertheless, Biden’s obdurate unwillingness to step aside for younger, more plausible Democratic candidates resulted in the reëmergence of his nemesis. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025 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

Dictionary Entries Near step aside

Cite this Entry

“Step aside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/step%20aside. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!