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
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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
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Recent Examples of steel
Brad Hunter, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Made of thick steel and protected on all sides by sandbags, the capsule is strong enough to shield engineers from debris, but not from a direct hit.
—Svitlana Vlasova, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Resolve suddenly became steeled.
—CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steel
Noun
Key materials like steel, aluminum, lumber, and appliances face significant tariff exposure.
—Brad Hunter, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Made of thick steel and protected on all sides by sandbags, the capsule is strong enough to shield engineers from debris, but not from a direct hit.
—Svitlana Vlasova, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
Some of it is gut feeling based the maniacal want Cristobal has steeled in his players.
—Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Resolve suddenly became steeled.
—CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steel
Noun
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The horse is red and in Toussaint’s hand, a sword transformed into a snake.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Renato is introduced by way of sunlight gleaming off what looks like the blade of a sword but turns out to be the shaft of a golf club.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While it was made in the ‘90s, the collection (which showed slip dresses, shirts with undulating ruffles, and jacquard silk jackets constructed to look permanently burst-open) was inspired by the romance between Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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The work was inspired by cephalopods such as octopuses, which can rapidly alter their skin’s appearance and texture to blend into their surroundings or communicate.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Reporting to Fabien Westerhoff, who heads the company’s theatrical arm, Teste will oversee Global Constellation’s worldwide sales operations, working closely with distributors and talent agencies to further strengthen the company’s position in the global marketplace.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
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Of course, once Carey got her hands on one of her signature whistle notes (those really, really high pitches that very few singers can achieve) her voice strengthened, if not her performance demeanor, which remain staid and almost nervous and uncomfortable throughout.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Many farmers are now bracing to potentially lose money for a fourth consecutive year.—
Tom Polansek,
Reuters,
4 Feb. 2026
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Post employees had been bracing for widespread layoffs for several weeks.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The numbers have been slowly ticking up for over a year – a rare bit of good news for a government that has spent billions of dollars for more than a decade encouraging people to do just that.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Guests are encouraged to bring camp chairs or blankets.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For years, this unspoken truth has hardened her, shaping her into a woman of precision and emotional distance — a mother who learned survival through silence.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
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Water your plants regularly during the hardening off process, but slowly decrease how much water your plants receive.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Orioles brought in Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward for their lineup while adding Shane Baz and Ryan Helsley to fortify their pitching staff.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
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No doubt to fortify the regime.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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 10 Feb. 2026.
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