1
as in encouraging
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strengthening
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 bracing
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
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Recent Examples of steeling
Ellison’s advisers were steeling for at least four more days of hard work.
—
Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg, 27 Feb. 2026
And this game plan demands his best work, steeling Jarrett Stidham for the biggest challenge of his career, or any career for that matter.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
Shoulders sagging, Charleigh set the wooden spoon down, steeling herself.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
This New Moon is perfect for mending such inner tears, with its Capricorn durability steeling your 12th House of Finishes.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 18 Jan. 2026
The Pats are back because of who their quarterback has become, and who Mike Vrabel is as a head coach; a man capable of steeling a brittle roster into a dogged competitor.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 22 Dec. 2025
As the end of the year approaches, many workers are steeling themselves for their annual performance review.
—Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
On the environment beat, look for further reporting on Kentucky's resilience in the face of flooding and other disasters, following a legislative task force report outlining recommendations for steeling the state against strengthening storms.
—Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg, 27 Feb. 2026
And this game plan demands his best work, steeling Jarrett Stidham for the biggest challenge of his career, or any career for that matter.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
Shoulders sagging, Charleigh set the wooden spoon down, steeling herself.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
This New Moon is perfect for mending such inner tears, with its Capricorn durability steeling your 12th House of Finishes.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 18 Jan. 2026
The Pats are back because of who their quarterback has become, and who Mike Vrabel is as a head coach; a man capable of steeling a brittle roster into a dogged competitor.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 22 Dec. 2025
As the end of the year approaches, many workers are steeling themselves for their annual performance review.
—Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
On the environment beat, look for further reporting on Kentucky's resilience in the face of flooding and other disasters, following a legislative task force report outlining recommendations for steeling the state against strengthening storms.
—Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steeling
Verb
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That is why some of the city’s most promising ideas involve encouraging investment while preserving character.—
Sarah M. Boye,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
Grinberg now shares her experience online to raise awareness about lung cancer in younger patients and never-smokers, while encouraging others to trust themselves when something doesn't feel right.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
Verb
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In February, Anthropic contributed $20 million toward an effort to elect congressional candidates who favor strengthening AI safeguards.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
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After strengthening briefly, the storm is expected to make its way onto land, tracking to the northeast along the coast of Texas into southern Louisiana through Wednesday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.—
Michael Autovino,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Verb
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The West Coast is also bracing for rising temperatures, with highs climbing to 10 to 25 degrees above normal this weekend.—
Christine Rapp,
NBC news,
13 June 2026
-
Women are bracing for hot flashes while the real experience is dominated by exhaustion, mood changes and cognitive symptoms, the kinds of complaints that get attributed to stress, parenting, work or aging in general.—
Allison Palmer
Updated June 13,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
In Kansas City, Dodds’ passion was also inspiring children.—
Kendrick Calfee
June 11,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
-
The awe-inspiring scenery includes the Perry Monument, beaches and sunsets, the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, historic lighthouses, trails and the wildlife‑rich lagoons that define the peninsula.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Beyond hardening technical defenses, companies operating in the AI age need to examine a wide range of practices, say industry experts, updating the way software patches are deployed and rebuilding the human layer of security.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
-
This will keep gloves from hardening and extend their life.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Supportive leadership includes recognizing the power of place and fortifying it with the tools, trust, and care needed for excellence to grow and thrive.—
Chip Bell,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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It is primarily tasked with repairing and fortifying the city’s more than 210,000 streetlamps — a frequent target of copper wire thieves — and maintaining its network of electrical vehicle charging stations.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Steeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steeling. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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