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
Keep in mind, again, that being granted Division 1 sanctioning by U.S. Soccer is more accurately a recognition of a league’s baseline operating standards than an assessment of its competitive mettle.
—
Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
The vast majority of Rogan’s guests and listeners were white men, presenting Harris with a potentially golden opportunity to prove her mettle by walking into the lion’s den.
—Amie Parnes, The Hill, 29 Jan. 2025
The thematic architecture is lucidly in place in this tale of sons stepping out of the shadows of their fathers to test their mettle in the most perilous of circumstances.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2025
The escalating geopolitical events south of the border compound AI uncertainties, while the upcoming political transition at home will test Canada’s mettle in the coming years.
—Hessie Jones, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mettle
Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
The vast majority of Rogan’s guests and listeners were white men, presenting Harris with a potentially golden opportunity to prove her mettle by walking into the lion’s den.
—Amie Parnes, The Hill, 29 Jan. 2025
The thematic architecture is lucidly in place in this tale of sons stepping out of the shadows of their fathers to test their mettle in the most perilous of circumstances.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2025
The escalating geopolitical events south of the border compound AI uncertainties, while the upcoming political transition at home will test Canada’s mettle in the coming years.
—Hessie Jones, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mettle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mettle
Noun
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Auburn has reached its second national semifinal ever, off the strength of unanimous All-American big Johni Broome and the cadre of good shooters in his orbit.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
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Dwyer has the speed to take the top off of defenses, but his hand strength has also been impressive.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Now a captain with that San Jose Fire Department, Condren will join other firefighters Saturday in Sacramento to offer those interested in becoming firefighters a glimpse into their profession, a chance to test their stamina on an agility course and an opportunity to check out equipment.—
Cathie Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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People, not only Blacks and the downtrodden, prayed for his stamina.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Natural gas has the opportunity to compete with coal, diesel, and other inefficient power sources across the globe, delivering cleaner and cheaper power.—
Steven Dudash,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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Trump has already tested the bounds of the Constitution governing presidential power several times in the first months of his second term.—
Alexandra Hutzler,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This is the untold origin of a revolution—where faith is tested, courage is forged, and the forces of darkness fight to extinguish the light.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2025
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The question is: Will your organization have the courage to relinquish outdated control mechanisms and embrace fluidity as its greatest strength?—
Izabela Lundberg,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mettle. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.
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