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
-
After returning to the United States, investigators say O’Rourke continued the alleged scam by encouraging friends and family members to organize additional fundraising events on her behalf.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
-
One partner gets a little embarrassed, but the other lightens the mood and keeps encouraging them.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
This unique capability supports readiness while strengthening the industrial base and bringing certainty to modernization.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
-
Bell unspooled an agenda centered on improving graduation rates and job placement, strengthening athletics, enhancing Greek life and the broader student experience, recruiting top faculty and expanding UF’s academic medical enterprise.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
California 'bracing for impact' as SNAP changes loom Since some states have yet to fully implement the changes, experts say SNAP participation rates are likely to fall further.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
-
The Kansas City area is bracing for big crowds.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The film is a record-breaker at the box office, with strong word of mouth attracting a steady stream of viewers and inspiring a deluge of fan edits and comedy skits.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
The series tells the story of how an unfancied Brazil side went on a historic journey to win its third World Cup – earning the right to put a third star on team jerseys and inspiring the title.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Entergy New Orleans, the city’s main electric utility, has an accelerated grid-hardening plan that aims to replace existing utility poles with more fortified poles to withstand higher winds and selectively move some lines underground in high-risk areas.—
Sufan Jiang,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
-
What began as sanction workarounds is hardening into permanent market architecture.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
More picks offer more chances at fortifying their roster, or more trade ammunition to move up for a quarterback in a strong draft class next spring.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
-
Microsoft is aggressively fortifying its weak spots.—
Sebastian Herrera,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Steeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steeling. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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