as in strength
strength of spirit; ability to continue despite difficulties
He showed his mettle as a fighter tonight with a heroic comeback.
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Recent Examples of mettle
As North America’s ski season winds down, passionate skiers and snowboarders begin making plans to test their mettle on the slopes of South America where the ski season begins in earnest in June and usually runs to October.
—
Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Having revealed their mettle by simply getting to New York, they’re neither limited by policy nor the circumstances that instigated their migration to begin with.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
The obstacles continue even after the team proves their mettle.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2025
Played with exuberance by Jacob Laval, Austin is a disrupter and catalyst, a lesson in joyful mettle to everyone around him — especially his parents (Zachary Levi and Meghann Fahy).
—Sheri Linden, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mettle
Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Having revealed their mettle by simply getting to New York, they’re neither limited by policy nor the circumstances that instigated their migration to begin with.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
The obstacles continue even after the team proves their mettle.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2025
Played with exuberance by Jacob Laval, Austin is a disrupter and catalyst, a lesson in joyful mettle to everyone around him — especially his parents (Zachary Levi and Meghann Fahy).
—Sheri Linden, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mettle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mettle
Noun
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This will, in turn, redefine your sense of independence and strength, urging you to balance that fire and passion with responsibility and integrity.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
23 May 2025
-
Get together with your planning team and review each person’s strengths and weaknesses.—
Denis Sinelnikov,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
Over time, this mindset builds creative stamina and psychological safety, both critical for navigating complex roles.—
Rob Robinson,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
-
The actors were so committed and had such dramatic stamina.—
Manohla Dargis,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Noun
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Expect this power shift to drive more M&A activity and deeper integrations between banks, fintech platforms, and lifestyle brands.—
Jeff Fromm,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
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Both Melling and Skarsgard show an intimate understanding of how the power dynamic between their characters works, but what gives Pillion its kick is the friction sparked when Colin starts wanting more.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 May 2025
Noun
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But any single act of courage might shift the trajectory of your life —or that of others.—
Margie Warrell,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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This is where the first-responder physio plays a critical role — staying vigilant, trusting their training and instincts, and having the courage to make the tough decision to remove a player when necessary.—
Geoff Scott,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mettle. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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