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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of steel
Richard McGahey, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
The aluminum core offers excellent heat conductivity while the steel surrounding it creates an evenly heated cooking surface that’s also less reactive to acidic ingredients.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025
Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
The White House seemed to have steeled itself against an adverse reaction in the stock market, even as, by Wednesday morning, the total market had fallen by about twenty per cent from its high.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steel
Noun
And that in turn caused a major mining company in Minnesota to lay off over 600 U.S. workers, due to falling demand for iron ore to make steel.
—Richard McGahey, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
The aluminum core offers excellent heat conductivity while the steel surrounding it creates an evenly heated cooking surface that’s also less reactive to acidic ingredients.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
While no cases have been reported in the Kansas City metro, health officials are steeling themselves for the possibility the disease will emerge in the area.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
The White House seemed to have steeled itself against an adverse reaction in the stock market, even as, by Wednesday morning, the total market had fallen by about twenty per cent from its high.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steel
Noun
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Here, matching three swords to defeat a rogue computer in a dank basement required enduring 88 grueling rounds.—
The New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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The conquistadors raped Indigenous women, chopped off Indians’ hands, used swords as spits to roast Indian babies over fires as their mothers watched.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Known for supporting individuals with autism — an effort inspired by his son, Jonathan — Eichenholz is using the house in part to support Jonathan’s Landing Foundation, which seeks to create housing for 500 people and 5,000 jobs to help adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).—
Laura Kinsler,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2025
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This is a great opportunity for communities to honor the country’s past, celebrate its present, and inspire its future through events and video storytelling.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
Verb
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The formula works on two fronts to create an optimal environment for hair growth while actively strengthening existing hair to decrease hair loss.—
Danielle Cohen,
Glamour,
2 May 2025
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Cress sprout extract filters pollution and strengthens your barrier, while wild butter ginger root extract helps block damaging, dark-spot-inducing free radicals.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
2 May 2025
Verb
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Chipotle, like other restaurants and fast-food chains that rely on supplies from Mexico, also forecast tepid annual comparable sales growth, bracing for a hit from inflation.—
Ananya Mariam Rajesh,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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Now city leaders are bracing for a nearly $1-billion budget deficit.—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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To achieve those, leaders should consider creating cultures that encourage workers to take breaks, set boundaries, and focus their energies on outcomes.—
Adia Harvey Wingfield,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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In a key way, the American health system encourages it.—
Rebecca T Brown,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2025
Verb
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These were also the years when Twain’s contradictions began to harden into gleaming marble.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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Dirt and sweat can dry and harden your gloves and soil the inside, defeating their purpose of protecting your hands.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Reinvent continuously: Change is the one constant, and knowing that disruption remains at an all-time high, leaders must be able to navigate these changes and fortify their enterprise resilience on an ongoing basis—for both the short- and long-term.—
Muqsit Ashraf,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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Georgia’s roster is now fortified for another national championship run, with things seeming to depend on two spots: starting quarterback Gunner Stockton and a young offensive line.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Nobody needed to go into the brush and stir that bear up.—
Howard Copenhaver,
Outdoor Life,
23 Apr. 2025
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In 1970, the average Chinese woman was expected to bear up to six children throughout her lifetime.—
Micah McCartney,
Newsweek,
22 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Steel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steel. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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