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• steel
  steel

  noun

  any of various modified forms of iron, artificially produced, having a carbon content less than that of pig iron and more than that of wrought iron, and having qualities of hardness, elasticity, and strength varying according to composition and heat treatment: generally categorized as having a high, medium, or low-carbon content.
• Steel
  Steel

  noun

  Danielle, full name Danielle Fernande Schüelein-Steel. born 1950, US writer of romantic fiction

steel

American  

[steel] / stil /

noun

steel plural

1. any of various modified forms of iron, artificially produced, having a carbon content less than that of pig iron and more than that of wrought iron, and having qualities of hardness, elasticity, and strength varying according to composition and heat treatment: generally categorized as having a high, medium, or low-carbon content.

2. a thing or things made of this metal.

3. a flat strip of this metal used for stiffening, especially in corsets; stay.

4. a bar of this metal that has one end formed to hold a bit for driving through rock.

5. steels, stocks or bonds of companies producing this metal.

6. a sword.

7. a rounded rod of ridged steel, fitted with a handle and used especially for sharpening knives.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or made of steel.

2. like steel in color, hardness, or strength.

verb (used with object)

steels, present (3rd person singular) steeled, past participle, past steeling present participle

1. to fit with steel, as by pointing, edging, or overlaying.

2. to cause to resemble steel in some way.

3. to render insensible, inflexible, unyielding, determined, etc..

   He steeled himself to perform the dangerous task.

steel ¹ British  

/ stiːl /

noun

1. 1. any of various alloys based on iron containing carbon (usually 0.1–1.7 per cent) and often small quantities of other elements such as phosphorus, sulphur, manganese, chromium, and nickel. Steels exhibit a variety of properties, such as strength, machinability, malleability, etc, depending on their composition and the way they have been treated

   2. ( as modifier ) See also stainless steel

      steel girders

2. something that is made of steel

3. a steel stiffener in a corset, etc

4. a ridged steel rod with a handle used for sharpening knives

5. the quality of hardness, esp with regard to a person's character or attitudes

6. stock exchange the quotation for steel shares See also steels

7. (modifier) resembling steel

   steel determination

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verb

1. to fit, plate, edge, or point with steel

2. to make hard and unfeeling

   he steeled his heart against her sorrow

   he steeled himself for the blow

Steel ² British  

/ stiːl /

noun

1. Danielle, full name Danielle Fernande Schüelein-Steel. born 1950, US writer of romantic fiction

2. Baron David ( Martin Scott ). born 1938, British politician; leader of the Liberal Party (1976–88); Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament (1999–2003)

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steel Scientific  

/ stēl /

1. Any of various hard, strong, flexible alloys of iron and carbon. Often, other metals are added to give steel a particular property, such as chromium and nickel to make it stainless. Steel is widely used in many kinds of tools and as a structural material in building.

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steel Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing steel

• mind like a steel trap

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• presteel
  noun
• steeliness
  noun
• steellike
  adjective
• steely
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• steel
  plural

Participles

• steeling
  present
• steeled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• steel
  simple
• steels
  simple
• have steeled
  perfect
• has steeled
  perfect
• am steeling
  progressive
• are steeling
  progressive
• is steeling
  progressive
• have been steeling
  perfect progressive
• has been steeling
  perfect progressive

Past

• steeled
  simple
• had steeled
  perfect
• was steeling
  progressive
• were steeling
  progressive
• had been steeling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will steel
  simple
• will have steeled
  perfect
• will be steeling
  progressive
• will have been steeling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of steel

before 900; (noun) Middle English stele, Old English (north) stēle; cognate with Dutch staal, German Stahl, Old Norse stāl; (v.) Middle English stelen, Old English styled edged with steel, derivative of the noun

Explanation

Steel is a kind of metal alloy that's made of iron and carbon. It's known for being incredibly strong and is often used to build the framework of skyscrapers. It's also helpful to have "nerves of steel." Steel isn't just a kind of metal. A steel can also be the long, rough thing you sharpen knives on. Or if you're one of the Three Musketeers, you probably carry a steel, or a sword. People who are really brave have nerves of steel. And if you want to use steel as a verb, go right ahead: if there's something hard or unpleasant ahead, you'll need to steel yourself to get ready for it.

Example Sentences

However, US domestic trade groups such as the American Iron and Steel Institute and the Steel Manufacturers Association have welcomed the shift, arguing annual reviews give American negotiators leverage to fix parts of the deal.

From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026

Steel and RJR Nabisco, making bankers powerful sculptors of America’s industrial might.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026

“This path is not sustainable,” said Kris Westbrooks, Metallus’s chief operating officer, in testimony submitted last week to the Congressional Steel Caucus, made up of members of Congress from steelmaking states.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026

Jingye bought British Steel, which employs 2,700 staff, in 2020.

From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026

Skyscrapers poked at the gray sky with skeletal fingers, and politicians promised big things coming to the Steel City.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

Related Words

• brace
• fortify
• gird