often attributive
1
: any of various opaque, fusible, ductile, and typically lustrous substances that are good conductors of electricity and heat, form cations by loss of electrons, and yield basic oxides and hydroxides
especially
: one that is a chemical element as distinguished from an alloy
2
a
b
: the substance out of which a person or thing is made
3
: glass in its molten state
4
a
: printing type metal
b
: matter set in metal type
5
metaled or metalled; metaling or metalling
: to cover or furnish with metal
Examples of metal in a Sentence
Noun
a mixture of various kinds of metal
sculptors who work in metal and clay
a mixture of different metals
Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Finney Harden, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2024
The journey culminates at the National Monument to Freedom, a great metal wall standing 43 feet tall and stretching 155 feet long.
—Donovan X. Ramsey, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2024
Priced at $40 each—or $400 for a black-lacquered presentation chest of 10, of which only 2,500 have been produced—the cigar comes encased in a hinged metal tube accented with replicas of amber and Larimar stones indigenous to the Dominican Republic.
—Richard Carleton Hacker, Robb Report, 13 Apr. 2024
The cafe will sit inside an 8,000-square-foot metal building retail retail space with four other tenants.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024
The metal trusses running the width of the river between the bridge supports—blocking the deepest part of the river—are slated to be removed by the end of the month.
—Bradley Brownell / Jalopnik, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
That's right—the metal on the rim of the lid is safe for the microwave and is airtight to steam food and keep it moist.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 11 Apr. 2024
Tied to one end were thick metal chains linked to a set of handcuffs.
—Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
These wonders are just an initial snapshot of fantastic creatures discovered 1,640 miles (5,000 meters) beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean in a pristine area that’s earmarked as a site for deep-sea mining of critical and rare metals.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024
Charles Schmidt, Scientific American, 7 Mar. 2022
The particles of glass and/or metal the company found in some drinks are likely very small.
—Chris Smith, BGR, 23 Nov. 2021
The silicone holder attaches to metal vehicle surfaces (don’t try it on aluminum or fiberglass).
—Kim Campbell Thornton, sacbee, 2 May 2018
Noun
The metal keyring and clip are made from nickel, which is a nice complement to the colors offered, including navy blue, cognac, and camel.
—Lauren Finney Harden, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2024
The journey culminates at the National Monument to Freedom, a great metal wall standing 43 feet tall and stretching 155 feet long.
—Donovan X. Ramsey, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2024
Priced at $40 each—or $400 for a black-lacquered presentation chest of 10, of which only 2,500 have been produced—the cigar comes encased in a hinged metal tube accented with replicas of amber and Larimar stones indigenous to the Dominican Republic.
—Richard Carleton Hacker, Robb Report, 13 Apr. 2024
The cafe will sit inside an 8,000-square-foot metal building retail retail space with four other tenants.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024
The metal trusses running the width of the river between the bridge supports—blocking the deepest part of the river—are slated to be removed by the end of the month.
—Bradley Brownell / Jalopnik, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
That's right—the metal on the rim of the lid is safe for the microwave and is airtight to steam food and keep it moist.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 11 Apr. 2024
Tied to one end were thick metal chains linked to a set of handcuffs.
—Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
These wonders are just an initial snapshot of fantastic creatures discovered 1,640 miles (5,000 meters) beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean in a pristine area that’s earmarked as a site for deep-sea mining of critical and rare metals.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024
Verb
Masks, for instance, have metal nose clips, polypropylene filters and elastic headbands.
—Charles Schmidt, Scientific American, 7 Mar. 2022
The particles of glass and/or metal the company found in some drinks are likely very small.
—Chris Smith, BGR, 23 Nov. 2021
The silicone holder attaches to metal vehicle surfaces (don’t try it on aluminum or fiberglass).
—Kim Campbell Thornton, sacbee, 2 May 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'metal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near metal
Cite this Entry
“Metal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metal. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
metal
noun
met·al
ˈmet-ᵊl 
: any of various opaque, fusible, ductile, and typically lustrous substances that are good conductors of electricity and heat, form cations by loss of electrons, and yield basic oxides and hydroxides
especially
: one that is a chemical element as distinguished from an alloy
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