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
Relevance
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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Tree was recognizable for his bright fashion, mullet haircut with prominent bangs, thin mustache and encouraging outlook.
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Bad choices like that are a through-line for this whole story, all the way back to Otto Hightower encouraging his daughter, Alicent, to befriend Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys.
Verb
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There are many claims about what the Japanese towel roll stretch does, such as correcting posture, aligning the spine, strengthening the core, and promoting weight loss.
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Both trends increase demand for high-quality healthcare data, strengthening IQVIA's position as an indispensable partner to the pharmaceutical industry.
Verb
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Markets are losing hope that the Federal Reserve will lower rates anytime soon and are bracing for potential increases, but the deluge of capital being raised by companies signals financial conditions are already somewhat easy.
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As temperatures rise, many of these businesses are already bracing for the summer rush.
Verb
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The celebration comes after an awe-inspiring playoff run which saw the Knicks secure the team's first NBA title in more than 50 years with a 4-1 series win over the San Antonio Spurs.
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The story follows young Santa Claus on an Oz-like trek through the North Pole, meeting and inspiring the offbeat friends who will create Christmas, and remind the world to believe.
Verb
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Anna, her hauteur hardening like a protective shell, is aghast.
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On both the right and the left, positions are hardening; each tribe has its truth.
Verb
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Major powers are developing advanced anti-satellite weapons and fortifying their space infrastructure, with Russia and China investing in counterspace capabilities.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Steeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steeling. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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