metal

noun, often attributive

met·al | \ ˈme-tᵊl

Definition of metal

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

2a : mettle sense 1a

b : the substance out of which a person or thing is made

3 : glass in its molten state

4a : printing type metal

b : matter set in metal type

5 : road metal

6 : heavy metal sense 2

metal

verb

metaled or metalled; metaling or metalling

Definition of metal (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to cover or furnish with metal

Example Sentences Phrases Containing metal Learn More About 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: Noun It’s made of a durable and stable metal, and has two chambers that can be loaded with all sorts of kitchen and food scraps. — Kylee Mcguigan, Popular Mechanics, 1 May 2022 Raynor and the suspects allegedly entered the unidentified church and made multiple attempts to open up the metal tithe boxes, which store monetary contributions to the church from parishioners, authorities in Rocky Ridge said. — Fox News, 29 Apr. 2022 Nickel prices, a metal used in electric vehicle batteries, soared to an all-time high in early March, doubling to $100,000 per metric ton, and triggering the London Metal Exchange to suspend trading. — Anna Cooban And Inke Kappeler, CNN, 28 Apr. 2022 His skills—firing crushed rock into molten metal, shaping and beating it into weapons and ritual objects—must have seemed a kind of magic. — Dominic Green, WSJ, 27 Apr. 2022 And with the cold ring, there’s no longer a need to put your tools in the freezer anymore to wake up in the morning: The metal stays cool and refreshing for several minutes. — Katie Intner, Harper's BAZAAR, 26 Apr. 2022 To keep from scratching the finish, wrap a cloth around the metal first. — Washington Post, 25 Apr. 2022 Dennard get a medical scan to see if the metal in her toe needed to be removed. — Fox19 & Enquirer Staff, The Enquirer, 25 Apr. 2022 Because the kitchen felt so dark and heavy, the designers set out to create a lighter, brighter space, punctuated with gold and black metal. — Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: 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 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'metal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More About metal

From the Editors at Merriam-Webster

Dictionary Entries Near metal

metakinetic

metal

Metal Age

Statistics for metal

Last Updated

5 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Metal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metal. Accessed 16 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for metal

metal

noun

met·al | \ ˈme-tᵊl

Kids Definition of metal

1 : a substance (as gold, tin, copper, or bronze) that has a more or less shiny appearance, is a good conductor of electricity and heat, and usually can be made into a wire or hammered into a thin sheet

2 : mettle

metal

noun

met·al | \ ˈmet-ᵊl

Medical Definition of metal

: 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