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
Redick’s team, which had seen a 13-point lead evaporate, again proved its mettle in crunch time.
—
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 19 Mar. 2026
At just 37 years old, Bravo has already spent a lifetime testing his mettle in the great outdoors, from living in the Into the Wild bus to traveling to the North Pole.
—Adrienne Westenfeld, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
As the alerts frayed the nerves of residents, and the air defense system proved its mettle, the UAE authorities changed their approach.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 16 Mar. 2026
Vendors will sell arts and crafts and other items, and a mechanical bull will be there to test guests’ mettle.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mettle
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 19 Mar. 2026
At just 37 years old, Bravo has already spent a lifetime testing his mettle in the great outdoors, from living in the Into the Wild bus to traveling to the North Pole.
—Adrienne Westenfeld, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
As the alerts frayed the nerves of residents, and the air defense system proved its mettle, the UAE authorities changed their approach.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 16 Mar. 2026
Vendors will sell arts and crafts and other items, and a mechanical bull will be there to test guests’ mettle.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mettle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mettle
Noun
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But Food Lion is winning budget-conscious shoppers with its value and private label strength, Lempert said.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
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This era of college basketball — the NIL and portal combination — has either robbed Self of his greatest strength or at least sneaked a few pennies from the community tray.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Physical stamina and comfort preferences may evolve.—
Lauren Schuster,
Kansas City Star,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The result was a team that did not have the stamina, mental strength or confidence to finish games.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But after economic crises, Orbán came to power by promising prosperity to the rich and poor alike, said Gábor Scheiring, a former Hungarian lawmaker now teaching at Georgetown University in Qatar.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Pelé scored an unforgettable goal that day on a free kick from 35 yards out, struck with so much power that the follow-through lifted him up into the air.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The farmworkers' rights movement has always been powered by courage, by people willing to endure, to speak out, to demand dignity in the face of injustice.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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But if worthiness is measured by the courage to lead, the humility to listen, the wisdom to hold complexity and the sacred responsibility of walking with people through joy, loss and transformation, then women’s rabbinic leadership has already outgrown the narrow metrics of any centralized system.—
Rabba Sara Hurwitz,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mettle. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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