steel 1 of 2

noun

ˈstēl How to pronounce steel (audio)
Definition of steelnext
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

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steel

2 of 2

verb

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

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of steel
Noun
Still, as recently as July, job listings on Mesabi’s website for the steel plant were based in Paducah, Kentucky, according to a version saved in the web archive. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026 Trump made a similar announcement on Monday in the Oval Office for a massive steel plant in Iowa. — Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
Boeing’s loss steeled its resolve and freed up engineers to work on the biggest airplane ever built for commercial service. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 Instead, Altman appeared jittery at first but steeled his nerves rather quickly. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for steel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steel
  1. sword
  2. inspire
  3. strengthen
  4. brace
  5. encourage
  6. harden
  7. fortify
  8. bear up
Noun
  • While Star Wars might be known for laser swords and space wizards, it's always been about weird little dudes doing even weirder things.
    — Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The hot and dusty city streets were bathed in decorative green light to celebrate National Day, as hundreds of electronic billboards projected the sword and script of the Saudi flag, shown fluttering as if caught in a breeze.
    — Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of sword
Verb
  • After living in the City of Lights for more than a decade, the designer said he was drawn to its features, which informed his palette that runs from sky blues to Seine greens, via tones inspired by its typical stone buildings.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Find more long cardigans inspired by Stewart at Amazon below.
    — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of inspire
Verb
  • The brand is best known for its bestselling $38 HoliRoots Hair Oil, which features ingredients such as ashwagandha, dashmool and castor oil to strengthen strands and promote hair growth.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Zachary Krevor, Stratolaunch’s president and CEO, said the 777 will strengthen the company’s ability to meet customer demand.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of strengthen
Verb
  • The protest came as the BBC braces to announce further cuts next week, with director general Matt Brittin planning to address staff in a Town Hall on Wednesday, expected to be chaired by Radio 4 Today show host Anna Foster.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
  • And Lee Chang-Dong’s Possible Love anchors a bracing social critique with two electrically human lead performances.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of brace
Verb
  • Partnership is the guiding motif of the World Soundtrack Awards’ Film Music Days, where live performances will give cult films bold new scores and industry mixers encourage emerging composers and filmmakers to find their creative match.
    — Ben Croll, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The breakthrough came after Arnold Schwarzenegger encouraged Figure to melt the robots.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of encourage
Verb
  • European countries have hardened their stance against Chinese imports over fears that an influx of goods like solar panels and EVs could hollow out the bloc’s industries.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The incident could further inflame tensions between the Koreas, which have no working military hotlines or other emergency communications channels as North Korea hardens its stance toward Seoul while expanding its military nuclear program.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of harden
Verb
  • In August, Bonnaroo, the beloved Tennessee festival, was canceled to take a break and fortify the grounds after back to back years of heavy storms.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Residents stacked sandbags to fortify beachfront shops and evacuated their homes in some coastal areas on Thursday.
    — Eugene Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of fortify
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
  • In 1970, the average Chinese woman was expected to bear up to six children throughout her lifetime.
    — Micah McCartney, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Definition of bear up

Browse Nearby Words

steeks
steel
steeled
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Cite this Entry

“Steel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steel. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on steel

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about steel

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