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.
a thing or things made of this metal.
a flat strip of this metal used for stiffening, especially in corsets; stay.
a bar of this metal that has one end formed to hold a bit for driving through rock.
steels, stocks or bonds of companies producing this metal.
a sword.
a rounded rod of ridged steel, fitted with a handle and used especially for sharpening knives.
pertaining to or made of steel.
like steel in color, hardness, or strength.
to fit with steel, as by pointing, edging, or overlaying.
to cause to resemble steel in some way.
to render insensible, inflexible, unyielding, determined, etc..
He steeled himself to perform the dangerous task.
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
( as modifier ) See also stainless steel
steel girders
something that is made of steel
a steel stiffener in a corset, etc
a ridged steel rod with a handle used for sharpening knives
the quality of hardness, esp with regard to a person's character or attitudes
stock exchange the quotation for steel shares See also steels
(modifier) resembling steel
steel determination
to fit, plate, edge, or point with steel
to make hard and unfeeling
he steeled his heart against her sorrow
he steeled himself for the blow
Danielle, full name Danielle Fernande Schüelein-Steel. born 1950, US writer of romantic fiction
Baron David ( Martin Scott ). born 1938, British politician; leader of the Liberal Party (1976–88); Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament (1999–2003)
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
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.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Industry Minister Melanie Joly had earlier requested that the steel company produce a plan to comply with promises on jobs she said were agreed to when Cliffs bought Stelco in 2024 for about $2.5 billion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
During the demo, which was livestreamed on Tesla's X account, the car launched from a steep steel ramp and performed a full barrel roll in mid-air before landing on its wheels.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
In the years since World War II, as steel production slowed and agriculture became one big subsidy, untimely ends became one of the few things you could still expect the U.S. to make itself.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
As a result, there is no incentive to rebuild inventories of the steel making raw material, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
If my brain was a colander, Elliot’s was a steel trap.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
William H. Draper III gave up his career as a fast-rising executive at Inland Steel in Chicago in 1959, at age 31, to try venture capital, a little-known business at the time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Instead, he entered a management-training program at Inland Steel and moved to East Chicago, Ind., where coke dust from a nearby steel mill drifted into the family home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
But to pinpoint his net worth at a specific point in time, MarketWatch used the 1901 buyout of Carnegie Steel to J.P Morgan as a benchmark for his peak wealth.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
In 2006, she played the adoptive mother of the Man of Steel in “Superman Returns.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
Steel ..whispered through wool and silk with a faint, soft sound.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
The European market for standard steels remained cautious and import volumes increased ahead of new trade measures, it said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Decades ago, scientists observed that some steels performed better when heat treated in the presence of a magnetic field, but the explanations at the time were largely theoretical.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 26, 2026
"We believe we have a very exciting future ahead, providing the high quality, low-CO2 steels that our customers in the UK and overseas are so desperate for."
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2024
A nervous industry steels itself for more upheaval.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2023
It angers him, and it steels his determination to push northward.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
Whether because of his renewed focus, or because of a desire among players to make amends, it steeled the group to make history.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
As it stands, the outlook for higher interest shouldn’t derail progress in the deal pipeline, given that most of the industry players already weathered and steeled themselves from challenging macroeconomic conditions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
I understood that it was not culturally acceptable in Russia to confront an older person of authority, so I steeled myself.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
Scott Mandel steeled himself to fundraise $60,000 for a student trip to Washington, D.C.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
There was the pitter-patter of footsteps above them, which almost made him stop, but he steeled his nerves and kept going.
From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner
Nations are steeling for a disappointing report card at this month's UN biodiversity summit, with governments falling short on their commitments to protect the plants, animals and ecosystems that sustain life on Earth.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
When lenders quietly rewrite the rules of engagement, or demand all-for-one consent before lien subordination, it signals a system steeling itself for impact.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2025
He takes several deep breaths, steeling himself, then walks slowly up to the stump.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2025
I’ve been steeling myself to face an empty nest for months now, but in many ways she is already gone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2024
It was dinnertime when I came downstairs, steeling myself for the conversation.
From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda
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