step aside
Idioms-
Move out of the way, as in Please step aside—I've got my arms full of groceries . This usage was first recorded in 1530.
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Withdraw, make room for a replacement, as in The senior researcher decided to step aside for a younger colleague . [Second half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One that comes to mind is whether Joe stayed on too long because his friends and family didn’t want him to step aside.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
“You have to discipline yourself to step aside and let your kid do it,” he said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
Powell has made clear he doesn’t intend to step aside while the case is unresolved.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
Rémy salutes, they step aside, and he takes his place beside them.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
