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.
The exercise, which runs for 11 days, is a regular summer fixture for South Korea's armed forces and their US allies, designed to steel them for defense against the nuclear-armed North.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
Battery-powered vehicles are changing adventure worldwide—and not just via e-bike tours that make cycling trips in the Alps and Rockies easier for those who don’t have quads of steel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
A volunteer worker cuts steel bars in the rubble of a housing complex in Caraballeda.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
The trilevel main residence, a 3,300-square-foot building, is made entirely of steel, concrete, and glass.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
Across the lot, two people are sitting on the hood of a car facing the water, drinking from steel mugs and eating pastries from greasy paper bags.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Prof. Mike Steel, from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, and Prof. Daniel Huson from the University of Tübingen brought expertise in analyzing complex networks to the project.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026
The news sent shares of listed Tata companies plunging and has led to questions over what lies ahead for the gigantic salt-to-steel conglomerate that owns Air India, Tata Steel and Jaguar Land Rover.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 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 and Trilogy Metals pose no systemic risk to the U.S. economy, nor do they carry enough employment weight to matter politically.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Steel cars sped down the streets and if you saved up, they said, you could get you one and drive as long as there was road.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
Washington steels his gaze and we cut to black.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 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
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
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
It angers him, and it steels his determination to push northward.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
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
Tanker driver Baba steeled himself for yet another perilous journey from Ivory Coast to Mali loaded up with desperately needed fuel -- and fear.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2025
The death of the provision was celebrated by conservationists as well as recreation advocates, including hunters and anglers, even as they steeled themselves for an ongoing fight over federal lands.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2025
Mexico and Canada, those countries have been spared an arduous qualifying competition — tense games that would have steeled them for the tournament ahead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2025
Bruce steeled himself and stood, picking up his briefcase.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Mr. Wertman senses “a system steeling itself for impact.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025
They might have been steeling themselves for some thunder and lightning from the fans.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2025
Three years wiser with two seasons of college competition steeling her nerves, Chiles put together a stellar qualification Sunday to exorcise her Olympic demons.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2024
Six months after Evan Gershkovich was arrested by Russian security services, accused of espionage and sent to a notoriously harsh Moscow prison, his family is steeling for an indeterminable wait.
From New York Times ● Sep. 29, 2023
She walked back out to her car and got in, steeling herself against the pain of a twice-broken heart.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
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.
