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
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
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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The Moon, planet of emotions, soars into your 9th House of Philosophy today, encouraging you to explore ideas, cultures, or beliefs that soften sharp edges.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The program is designed to foster stronger connections at the local level, encouraging neighbors to communicate, collaborate and celebrate one another.—
Chuck Page,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Progress on strengthening Nigeria’s banking system, combined with a revenue boost from a global oil price surge driven by the Iran war, is providing an economic filip to President Bola Tinubu ahead of presidential elections next year.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
18 Mar. 2026
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Those upgrades will improve air and water quality while strengthening the port’s competitive position in global trade.—
Bob Keefe,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Minneapolis, Jeff Anderson’s wholesale trade company is bracing for another wave of price increases after tariffs rippled through his supply chain.—
Rachel Siegel,
Washington Post,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Now audiences are bracing for the sequel.—
Harbani Kohli,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The new way could be inspiring people.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The ambience and history are awe-inspiring at this eighteenth-century mansion steps from the Popes’ Palace.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But before transplanting, your plants will need time to adjust—this process is called hardening off.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Start hardening off plants one week before transplanting out into the garden.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Analysts noted similar activity occurred before last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer strikes, suggesting a pattern of fortifying critical facilities in anticipation of attacks.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
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Elevating their expertise and fortifying their decades-long involvement in the process of independent evaluation and guidance is critical to restore public trust in federal policymaking.—
Jerome Adams,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Steeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steeling. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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