as in sword
a hand weapon with a length of metal sharpened on one or both sides and usually tapered to a sharp point
drew steel on the bandits, who immediately fled for their lives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to inspire
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
hoped that his inspirational talk would steel the youths in the pursuit of their dreams
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to strengthen
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
years of running a farm had steeled the hard-bitten woman
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to brace
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
he had spent the previous night steeling himself for the moment when he would demand a raise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of steel
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 18 May 2026
Yet in the middle of all of this, some of the most consequential technology decisions of our era are made in glass-and-steel campuses a few miles south.
—Melanie Subin, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Justin Kroll, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2026
So, once again, steel yourself.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steel
Noun
The Swiss watchmaker’s Royal Oaks range from roughly $20,000 for a basic steel reference to well over $300,000 for highly complicated iterations, putting them out of the reach of the masses.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 18 May 2026
Yet in the middle of all of this, some of the most consequential technology decisions of our era are made in glass-and-steel campuses a few miles south.
—Melanie Subin, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Verb
In the final clip, Chani steels herself and runs toward an invisible adversary.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2026
So, once again, steel yourself.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steel
Noun
-
Eventually, face masks and lightweight swords gave us a taste of the back-and-forth ‘combat’ that define the sport.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
Man on a hike uncovers gold sword relic hidden under tree.—
,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
While Kendrick Lamar was conquering the hip-hop world, Rashad was honing an introspective style inspired by Southern hip-hop pioneers like Lil Wayne and OutKast.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
And, if bright white pants aren’t your thing, keep reading for off-white styles inspired by Martha Stewart and Joanna Gaines.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Ensuring 100% availability is the stitch in time for strengthening the storage infrastructure for business continuity.—
Eric Herzog,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
In 2025, 250 professionals benefited from technical training programs to strengthen local crews as demand grows.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Eveningside’s smaller arms holding on to the chains while Morningside’s longer arms propelled them, her fists and excess joints braced against the ground; their span lengthening, extending and retracting in the girls’ to and fro.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Lone lost both arms in an accident at the age of eight and taught himself to play cricket using his legs, batting with the bat braced between his neck and chin and bowling with his feet.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Responding to comments, asking for feedback, and giving shout-outs to active viewers fosters a sense of community and encourages continued engagement.—
Adam Rumanek,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2026
-
Techniques such as reinforcement learning from human feedback encourage the model toward preferred responses.—
Sandeep Shilawat,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Scores of hardened, dangerous criminals are being paroled every year thanks to the Massachusetts Parole Board appointed by liberal Democrat Maura Healey.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
14 May 2026
-
The process relies on urushi, a natural lacquer derived from tree sap that hardens over time into a durable, food-safe coating.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The weekend only fortified the belief that things will turn.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 May 2026
-
Introduced last year in partnership with Projeto Paradiso in a bid to fortify the presence of Brazilian cinema in the global arena, Screen Brasil selects three projects and their respective sales agents.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
It can also be used as a bench, bearing up to 355 pounds.—
Caitlyn Martyn
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
11 Aug. 2025
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Harriet remembered there was something: inexpressibly affecting in the aspect of the frail little creature who had done such wonderful things, and who was able to bear up, with so bright an eye and so composed a countenance, under not only such a weight of sorrow, but such a prospect of solitude.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Steel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steel. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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