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
Leading a double life is less a burden than a test of one’s mettle.
—
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
But one outing that season showed Hicks’ mettle, when the young goalie rose up despite his team being drastically outmatched.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
When Caldwell was kidnapped in the Pamir-Alai mountain range by an affiliate of Al-Qaeda in 2000, the mettle of his biology and upbringing were pushed to their extreme.
—Namir Khaliq, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
The true test of the Trojans’ mettle lies ahead.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mettle
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
But one outing that season showed Hicks’ mettle, when the young goalie rose up despite his team being drastically outmatched.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
When Caldwell was kidnapped in the Pamir-Alai mountain range by an affiliate of Al-Qaeda in 2000, the mettle of his biology and upbringing were pushed to their extreme.
—Namir Khaliq, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
The true test of the Trojans’ mettle lies ahead.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mettle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mettle
Noun
-
No Wolves player scored more than 12 points on a night the Spurs’ swarming defense created too much havoc too allow Minnesota to exploit its advantages in size and strength.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
-
While other safeties have had success with that small frame, the Dolphins must learn if Taaffe has the strength and tackling ability to bring opponents down consistently as the team’s last line of defense on just about every single play.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
One had to marvel at Springsteen’s stamina.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Any editor can tell you—visiting Milan for Salone del Mobile and all of its surrounding events is an exercise in stamina.—
The Editors of AD,
Architectural Digest,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Once fierce rivals, the two men were responsible for the country’s first peaceful transfer of power between parties, after Jefferson and his Democratic-Republican Party defeated Adams and the Federalists in the election of 1800.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Meanwhile, the Marlins are sending catcher Agustin Ramirez to Triple-A after an uneven first five weeks in which his power declined, his defense remained poor and base running errors frustrated the team.—
Barry Jackson,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
The courage to make those choices and keep moving forward is what has defined my journey.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
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But when a mysterious aircraft sinks into the ocean, Ally’s peaceful world is suddenly thrown into danger and is thrust into a journey real-life marine creatures as the film explores themes of friendship and courage.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mettle. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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