1
: commercial iron that contains carbon in any amount up to about 1.7 percent as an essential alloying constituent, is malleable when under suitable conditions, and is distinguished from cast iron by its malleability and lower carbon content
2
: an instrument or implement of or characteristically of steel: such as
a
: a thrusting or cutting weapon
b
: an instrument (such as a fluted round rod with a handle) for sharpening knives
c
: a piece of steel for striking sparks from flint
3
: a quality (such as hardness of mind or spirit) that suggests steel
nerves of steel
4
a
: the steel manufacturing industry
b
steels plural
: shares of stock in steel companies
steeled; steeling; steels
1
: to overlay, point, or edge with steel
2
a
: to cause to resemble steel (as in looks or hardness)
b
: to fill with resolution or determination
steeled herself to face the crisis
1
: made of steel
2
: of or relating to the production of steel
3
: resembling steel
Synonyms
Examples of steel in a Sentence
Noun
The beams are made of steel.
Steel is an important industry in this area.
The invaders were driven back by steel.
the steel of a knife
Verb
hoped that his inspirational talk would steel the youths in the pursuit of their dreams
years of running a farm had steeled the hard-bitten woman
Recent Examples on the Web
Dana Thomas, Architectural Digest, 3 July 2024
Cultivators have rotating tines like tillers, but the tines are made out of thinner, less heavy-duty steel and often rotate much faster.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2024
Richard Engel, NBC News, 17 June 2024
Nearly a year after catastrophic flooding struck Vermont, the city of Barre confronts the overwhelming task of steeling itself for the next climate disaster.
—Anna Phillips, Washington Post, 14 June 2024
Sophie Haigney, Curbed, 13 July 2021
See all Example Sentences for steel 
Noun
To do their part, the design team limited traditional structural materials, such as steel, the production of which is highly polluting, in favor of more eco-friendly spruce and Douglas fir, from Finland and France.
—Dana Thomas, Architectural Digest, 3 July 2024
Cultivators have rotating tines like tillers, but the tines are made out of thinner, less heavy-duty steel and often rotate much faster.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2024
Verb
Jose Colon / Anadolu via Getty Images Drafts and divisions at peace summit
While the soldiers were steeling themselves to put allied support to use on the battlefield, Ukraine’s leader was able to call on diplomatic backing at a summit billed as a first step toward peace.
—Richard Engel, NBC News, 17 June 2024
Nearly a year after catastrophic flooding struck Vermont, the city of Barre confronts the overwhelming task of steeling itself for the next climate disaster.
—Anna Phillips, Washington Post, 14 June 2024
Adjective
Around the country, mining operations have cropped up in an ex-steel mill in Calvert City, Kentucky; an ex-Gateway Computer industrial campus in South Dakota; a power plant in Hardin, Montana; a former airplane hangar in Big Spring, Texas; and old fruit warehouses in Eastern Washington State.
—Sophie Haigney, Curbed, 13 July 2021
See all Example Sentences for steel
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'steel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near steel
Cite this Entry
“Steel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steel. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
steel
1 of 3 noun1
: commercial iron that contains carbon in any amount up to about 1.7 percent as a necessary part
2
: an article (as a sword) made of steel
3
: a hard cold quality
answered with steel in her voice
steel
2 of 3 verb
: to fill with courage or determination
steel
3 of 3 adjective1
: made of or like steel
2
: of or relating to the production of steel
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