1
: commercial iron that contains carbon in any amount up to about 1.7 percent as an essential alloying constituent, is malleable when under suitable conditions, and is distinguished from cast iron by its malleability and lower carbon content
2
: an instrument or implement of or characteristically of steel: such as
a
: a thrusting or cutting weapon
b
: an instrument (such as a fluted round rod with a handle) for sharpening knives
c
: a piece of steel for striking sparks from flint
3
: a quality (such as hardness of mind or spirit) that suggests steel
nerves of steel
4
a
: the steel manufacturing industry
b
steels plural
: shares of stock in steel companies
steeled; steeling; steels
1
: to overlay, point, or edge with steel
2
a
: to cause to resemble steel (as in looks or hardness)
b
: to fill with resolution or determination
steeled herself to face the crisis
1
: made of steel
2
: of or relating to the production of steel
3
: resembling steel
Examples of steel in a Sentence
Noun
The beams are made of steel.
Steel is an important industry in this area.
The invaders were driven back by steel.
the steel of a knife
Verb
hoped that his inspirational talk would steel the youths in the pursuit of their dreams
years of running a farm had steeled the hard-bitten woman
Recent Examples on the Web
Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 4 May 2025
Best Choice Products 4-Piece Conversation Set Despite the thin lines seen all over the modern-looking patio furniture set, the chairs have steel frames that can each hold up to 330 pounds and up to 660 pounds for the loveseat.
—Clint Davis, People.com, 3 May 2025
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 11 Apr. 2025
But the rattling experience steeled the Montana native against the tumult caused last week by President Trump’s announcement of steep global tariffs.
—Alexander Nazaryan, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Sophie Haigney, Curbed, 13 July 2021
See All Example Sentences for steel
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Noun
But tariffs on steel, aluminum and cars have remained.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 4 May 2025
Best Choice Products 4-Piece Conversation Set Despite the thin lines seen all over the modern-looking patio furniture set, the chairs have steel frames that can each hold up to 330 pounds and up to 660 pounds for the loveseat.
—Clint Davis, People.com, 3 May 2025
Verb
The squeamish will need to steel themselves for Warfare.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 11 Apr. 2025
But the rattling experience steeled the Montana native against the tumult caused last week by President Trump’s announcement of steep global tariffs.
—Alexander Nazaryan, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Around the country, mining operations have cropped up in an ex-steel mill in Calvert City, Kentucky; an ex-Gateway Computer industrial campus in South Dakota; a power plant in Hardin, Montana; a former airplane hangar in Big Spring, Texas; and old fruit warehouses in Eastern Washington State.
—Sophie Haigney, Curbed, 13 July 2021
See All Example Sentences for steel
Cite this Entry
“Steel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steel. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
steel
1 of 3 noun1
: commercial iron that contains carbon in any amount up to about 1.7 percent as a necessary part
2
: an article (as a sword) made of steel
3
: a hard cold quality
answered with steel in her voice
steel
2 of 3 verb
: to fill with courage or determination
steel
3 of 3 adjective1
: made of or like steel
2
: of or relating to the production of steel
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