as in armed
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1
as in inspired
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 strengthened
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 braced
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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Recent Examples of steeled
Jack Lang, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Denise and Aaron steeled themselves to face Muller in court.
—Lauren Clark, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Some of it is gut feeling based the maniacal want Cristobal has steeled in his players.
—Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
For decades, humankind steeled itself for the rise of thinking machines.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
Players typically don’t call their head coach in early summer with good news, so Journell steeled himself.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
The lawyer steeled himself for the next 90 minutes.
—Sarah Weinman, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2025
Few coaches know that better than Mike Vrabel, who steeled his team ahead of what many expected to be a toss-up game.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
His sacrifice has steeled our resolve, redoubled our commitment and only increased our determination to save America at this critical turning point.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
The Leopards steeled themselves, took a breath, went again, even as star man Noah Sadiki was forced off with an injury.
—Jack Lang, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Denise and Aaron steeled themselves to face Muller in court.
—Lauren Clark, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Some of it is gut feeling based the maniacal want Cristobal has steeled in his players.
—Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
For decades, humankind steeled itself for the rise of thinking machines.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
Players typically don’t call their head coach in early summer with good news, so Journell steeled himself.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
The lawyer steeled himself for the next 90 minutes.
—Sarah Weinman, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2025
Few coaches know that better than Mike Vrabel, who steeled his team ahead of what many expected to be a toss-up game.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
His sacrifice has steeled our resolve, redoubled our commitment and only increased our determination to save America at this critical turning point.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steeled
Adjective
-
Zachary Nicholus Walton, 36, was arrested April 29 in Fulton and is facing multiple felony charges, including first-degree assault, armed criminal action and leaving the scene of an accident.—
Stepheny Price , Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
2 May 2026
-
An Arvada Police Department officer shot and killed an armed man during a domestic violence incident in the Lamar Heights neighborhood on Saturday morning, department officials said.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
From sea to mountains, ingredients cover a spectrum of Okayama specialties, with creations inspired by the subtlest flavor shifts of Japan’s 72 micro-seasons (recent highlights ranged from arrowhead fish, Chinese cabbage, and foie gras to Okayama Nagi beef and turnip).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
-
The rule was inspired by a February dispute between Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni in which Prestianni covered his mouth with his jersey and allegedly used racial slurs.—
Jeremy Mikula,
NBC news,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Right-hander Roki Sasaki strengthened his case Saturday with a quality start, despite some hiccups, as the Dodgers fell 3-2 to the Cardinals, extending their losing streak to four games.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
-
Amtrak is considering allowing people to store guns in lockboxes on most of its trains, which critics say would weaken security measures that instead should be strengthened in light of the shooting at last weekend's White House Correspondents' Association dinner.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
On April 14th, as Kyiv braced for a round of Russian strikes, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, was seven hundred and fifty miles away, in Berlin, forging a defense agreement with Germany, part of a tour of European allies to raise support for military aid.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The Celtics, who have run into Philadelphia in the playoffs several times in recent years, braced for a fiery atmosphere.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And Ukraine’s ability to strike fortified locations inside Russia is well-known.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The legislation passed with broad bipartisan support in the Senate, but some Republicans rejected the bill, opposing earmarking millions more to maintain the fortified Capitol and equip it with the staff necessary to keep the screenings going.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tickets are available now, and early purchase is encouraged.—
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
3 May 2026
-
Those with information about Taffur’s whereabouts have been encouraged to contact the NMPD at 305-891-8111.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
They are hardened against the effects of a nuclear blast and include a range of security features, such as anti-missile countermeasures and an onboard operating room.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
-
Emery prefers his players to be battle-hardened and to be involved in matches, rather than just training.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Steeled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steeled. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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