Synonyms of steeling

steeling

verb

present participle of steel

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

• encouraging
• inspiring
• inspiriting
• reinforcing
• emboldening
• bearing up
• cheering (up)
• provoking
• enforcing
• heartening
• animating
• stimulating
• strengthening
• enlivening
• buoying (up)
• assuring
• fortifying
• chirking (up)
• bucking up
• rallying
• invigorating
• stirring
• reassuring
• galvanizing
• energizing
• exciting
• quickening
• boosting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discouraging
• disheartening
• undermining
• daunting
• weakening
• depressing
• demoralizing
• debilitating
• dispiriting
• intimidating
• hamstringing
• saddening
• enfeebling
• psyching (out)

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

• strengthening
• hardening
• fortifying
• toughening
• inuring
• adjusting
• adapting
• bolstering
• seasoning
• tempering
• bracing
• reinforcing
• acclimating
• enforcing
• immunizing
• indurating
• annealing
• acclimatizing
• invigorating
• buttressing
• supporting
• habituating
• accustoming
• vitalizing
• boosting
• conditioning
• forearming
• training
• propping (up)
• breaking in
• naturalizing
• limbering (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• softening
• weakening
• sapping
• exhausting
• crippling
• enervating
• debilitating
• incapacitating
• emasculating
• sensitizing
• enfeebling
• hamstringing

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

• bracing
• fortifying
• readying
• strengthening
• nerving
• poising
• forearming
• arming
• reinforcing
• psyching (up)
• enforcing
• bolstering
• inuring
• toughening
• hardening
• sustaining
• buttressing
• comforting
• rallying
• supporting
• stirring
• rousing
• encouraging
• seasoning
• boosting
• emboldening
• inspiring
• propping (up)
• cheering (up)
• heartening
• buoying (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shaking
• discouraging
• disheartening
• demoralizing
• daunting
• unnerving
• undermining
• softening
• undercutting
• sapping
• weakening
• tiring
• dispiriting
• debilitating
• enervating
• psyching (out)
• prostrating
• enfeebling

Example Sentences

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