Dictionary

step down en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see step, down.
   • to step down carefully from a train
2. (idiomatic, intransitive) To resign or retire from an office or position of authority.
   • She now wants to be a Paris MP. But Fillon wants the same Paris seat when he steps down, after next year's election. Both have their eye on the main prize: running for Paris mayor in 2014. 2011 December 14, Angelique Chrisafis, “Rachida Dati accuses French PM of sexism and elitism”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 02 Jun 2022:
   • Late on the previous Friday (September 2), AWC had announced that Managing Director Phil Whittingham "has decided to step down with effect from September 15". 2022 September 21, Mel Holley, “MPs debate Avanti West Coast future as MD departs”, in RAIL, number 966, page 14:
3. (figuratively, transitive) To reduce gradually or incrementally.

Forms

Antonyms

step up

Coordinates

step aside

Relateds

step over · step aside

Synonyms

abdicate

Translations (35)

de zurücktreten (to resign or retire from a position) · it diminuire (to reduce gradually) · ast reducir (to reduce gradually) · es renunciar (to resign or retire from a position) · pl ustępować (to resign or retire from a position) · es dimitir (to resign or retire from a position) · ru уво́литься (to resign or retire from a position) · ru уйти́ с поста́ (to resign or retire from a position) · de erniedrigen (to reduce gradually) · fr démissionner (to resign or retire from a position) · ro abdica (to resign or retire from a position) · fr se retirer (to resign or retire from a position) · it scemare (to reduce gradually) · de deklassieren (to reduce gradually) · nl aftreden (to resign or retire from a position) · ru уменьша́ть (to reduce gradually) · es bajar ((literal)) · de herunterstufen (to reduce gradually) · gl reducir (to reduce gradually) · da træde tilbage (to resign or retire from a position) · nb fratre (to resign or retire from a position) · da nedtrappe (to reduce gradually) · gl cesar (to resign or retire from a position) · de degradieren (to reduce gradually) · nl een stap opzij zetten (to resign or retire from a position) · ru понижа́ть (to reduce gradually) · pl ustąpić (to resign or retire from a position) · it dimettersi (to resign or retire from a position) · ga íoschéimnigh (to reduce gradually) · ru увольня́ться (to resign or retire from a position) · gl dimitir (to resign or retire from a position) · de herabstufen (to reduce gradually) · zh 卸任 (to resign or retire from a position) · es bajarse ((literal)) · it ritirarsi (to resign or retire from a position)