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.
Negotiators were reportedly discussing a deal that would reduce US tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium from 50% to 25%, and on Canadian autos from 25% to 15%.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Vance gave a speech at the steel plant where his grandfather worked for 40 years in Middletown, Ohio, the blue-collar town which featured in his bestselling 2016 memoir "Hillbilly Elegy."
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
The Singapore steel reinforcement solutions provider’s nine-month earnings also signal its resilient business and market leadership, as it continues to benefit from the rising construction cycle in Singapore, he adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Details leaked to several media outlets suggest the US will agree to reduce tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium from 50% to 25%, and tariffs on Canadian automobiles from 25% to 15%.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
“They’re filled with hydrogen and suspended by steel cables. They’re placed around valuable sites to deter German aircraft.”
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Find insight on palm oil, BlueScope Steel, OceanaGold and more in the latest Market Talks covering basic materials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Steel, in the U.K., said he’s coming to this year’s race stocked with anti-inflammatories, ibuprofen and sunscreen to stay safe on the course.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
The advance is the latest result from Huang's "Super Steel" Project.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
“U.S. Steel will have to obtain Uncle Sam’s permission to do a lot of stuff,” he wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Steel ..whispered through wool and silk with a faint, soft sound.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Back home in Elk Grove, Calif., Yip steels herself in the parking lot before braving the chaos.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026
The best cryogenic steels, specially engineered to resist fracture, are about 20 times tougher than these materials.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 22, 2024
"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
It can be applied to other metals and alloys, such as steels and aluminum alloys, and drastically facilitates elucidating the microscopic hydrogen-material interactions, which could be further investigated through simulations.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 19, 2023
Scoob steels himself and heads in what he hopes to the high heavens, as Dad likes to say when he’s being more over the top than usual, is the right direction.
From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone
In particular, he steeled himself during a third round when he kept missing fairways but managed to save par after par.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
Belfast steeled itself Wednesday for a second night of violence directed at immigrants in Northern Ireland, unrest that authorities say is being stoked by far-right activists on social media.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
Driving west, I’d steeled myself for two classic L.A. clichés: seismic earthquakes and shallow people.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 15, 2026
Determined not to be blindsided a second time, I steeled myself for the return of this relentless specter in 2024.
From Salon ● Nov. 18, 2024
But after a while, having heard how tom up the man was and reading the headlines in the Age, the News, The Messenger, by February she had steeled herself and let the woman in.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
Mr. Wertman senses “a system steeling itself for impact.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 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
Small towns and rural enclaves along the path of April’s total solar eclipse are steeling for huge crowds of sun chasers who plan to catch a glimpse of day turning into dusk in North America.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 22, 2024
And with the advanced warning, their fans globally had been steeling themselves for this moment.
From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2023
She tried to pull away, but he hung on, and she looked toward the ship, steeling herself against the pain and the nausea.
From "The Reader" by Traci Chee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
