Someone who chooses to leave an important position can be said to step down.

The idea

Step down is intransitive and neutral in register, common in news and formal contexts. Use as before a role or from before a position or organisation. A noun or pronoun object cannot separate the words or follow them directly.

Examples

  • The chair will step down at the end of June.
  • After ten years, Maya stepped down as team captain.
  • Our director is stepping down from the board next spring.
  • Jon chose to step down so a colleague could lead the project.
  • The mayor has announced that she will step down from office.
  • When the editor stepped down, the magazine appointed a successor.

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Watch out

Do not say step the chair down or step it down to mean leaving a role. Say step down as chair instead.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. The treasurer decided to step ___ after the election. (down / over)

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    down

    down completes the expression for leaving the treasurer’s position.

  2. Choose the correct option. Alex stepped down ___ chair last week. (as / at)

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    as

    as introduces the role Alex held.

  3. Choose the correct option. The founder will step down ___ the board in May. (from / for)

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    from

    from introduces the board the founder is leaving.

Use it today

Describe a fictional person who steps down and name their role.