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.
Powell has made clear he doesn’t intend to step aside while the case is unresolved.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
On Thursday, Republicans urged Gonzales to step aside, and that night he ended his campaign.
From Slate • Mar. 9, 2026
The executives believe Wasserman will likely step aside from the music agency and sell that wing of his company.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026
There were widespread calls for the bishop to step aside after the Channel 4 programme aired, with church leaders calling his position "untenable".
From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026
Then Hale asked Spencer to step aside with him, and the two went off to talk.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
