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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of steel
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2025
Workers in safety vests move between trailers as steel beams rise in the distance.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
John Baldoni, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Now take another one, just to steel yourself—this story involves crypto and memecoins, after all.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steel
Noun
Forty years of metal, forged in steel, ending in fire.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2025
Workers in safety vests move between trailers as steel beams rise in the distance.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
Handling adversity These setbacks steeled James Lovell to be an astronaut who could handle the pressures in times of adversity.
—John Baldoni, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Now take another one, just to steel yourself—this story involves crypto and memecoins, after all.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steel
Noun
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The trailer highlights the series' signature bone-crunching, sword-swinging action alongside glimpses of Tarabay's rags-to-riches Ashur navigating the politics of the elite.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Nov. 2025
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The girls are put to the fire anyway, and when the sudden appearance of a crusading Nilfgaardian army seems to offer a chance of escape, Beata is simply killed by a random soldier’s sword.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Its success inspired a wave of canal building in other states, although the economic benefit of these other canals is dubious in retrospect.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Oct. 2025
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The aftermath of that crash inspired her branch of the Brown family tree to reshape the Louisville medical scene.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Perhaps witnessing that transformation strengthens its usefulness to others.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Both coalitions align African foundations and businesses to coordinate investments, champion learning as an economic priority, and strengthen delivery through their influence and capabilities.—
Obiageli Ezekwesili,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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From the start, her campaign braced for a tough final push; no less than Barack Obama is heading to the state in the final days to pitch in.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
3 Nov. 2025
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In a culture where Hollywood creators worry about an AI takeover while a video-watching citizenry braces itself for a wave of synthetic media from Sora 2 and others, an AI commercial at this level is no small thing.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Instead of scrolling through Instagram—or, admittedly, hitting the snooze button a few too many times—Vig encourages you to spend that time sprucing up your space.—
Kelsey Mulvey,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
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Police are encouraging anyone with knowledge of the crash to come forward with further details.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Fertilization and pruning encourage new growth, which does not have time to harden off before cold temperatures set in.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The finale opens in the stillness that follows, grief hardening into vengeance.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Since then, Xi has sought to fortify Chinese industry titans, including Huawei, China Rare Earths Group, and EV maker BYD.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
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For example, state parties now get major influxes of cash, to the tune of a million dollars a month, to hire staff, set up programs, and fortify their ranks.—
Brittany Shepherd,
ABC News,
3 Nov. 2025
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 5 Nov. 2025.
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