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
-
Iranian officials are encouraging the population to consume less electricity and gas, as a US blockade has interrupted the flow of shipments to Iran.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
-
Now there’s emphasis on offense, teaching it and coaching it and encouraging it.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Its long-term goal is to create a market for film rights to adaptations of literary works from the region, thereby strengthening cooperation between the film and book industries.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
6 May 2026
-
Beau founded the Beau Turner Youth Conservation Center, which aimed to get kids involved in outdoor activities while strengthening their connection to nature and wildlife.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The peas themselves are piled like cabochons over a thin pastry shell, dressed in a tart citrus vinaigrette and studded with slivers of pickled shallots that deliver bracing little sparks of brine against the crisp sweetness of the legumes.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
-
Hollywood is bracing for layoffs anyway.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
In addition to inspiring TNT, the MGM deal gave Turner a few other ideas.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
-
That feeling of being seen and understood stayed with her, ultimately inspiring Henson to commit to a career as a nurse and to offer the same reassurance to her own patients.—
Nancy Badertscher,
AJC.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The Timberwolves, who have made the past two Western Conference finals and endured their share of hardening heartbreaks, showed their quality in the critical moments.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
5 May 2026
-
Begin hardening off seedlings about one week prior to transplanting outdoors.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Think of calcium as fortifying fertilizer for your bones.—
Holly Carter,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The serum is formulated with a holy grail powerhouse that consists of a fortifying complex, firming complex, and Matrixyl 3000—all pivotal for minimizing signs of aging.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Steeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steeling. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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