steel wool

noun

: an abrasive material composed of long fine steel shavings and used especially for scouring and burnishing

Examples of steel wool in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Avoid abrasive cleaners and tools, such as steel wool, scouring pads, bleach, and ammonia. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 July 2026 Like steel wool and other abrasive scrubbers, a Magic Eraser can strip them of their specialized coating. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 5 July 2026 Use steel wool to prevent mice. — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 25 June 2026 No air-conditioning, no insulation, its charm blunted by DIY additions, discount drywall, generations of putty and steel wool stuffed into varmint tunnels. — Literary Hub, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for steel wool

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of steel wool was in 1896

Rhymes for steel wool

See All Rhymes for steel wool

Browse Nearby Words

steel-trap
steel wool
steelwork
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Steel wool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steel%20wool. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

steel wool

noun
: a rough material composed of long fine steel shavings and used especially for cleaning and polishing

More from Merriam-Webster on steel wool

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about steel wool

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of obdurate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All