mettle

noun

met·tle ˈme-tᵊl How to pronounce mettle (audio)

: vigor and strength of spirit or temperament (see temperament sense 1a)

a girl of … mettle who lost a baby brother to leukemia

Bill Zehme

: staying quality : stamina

equipment that proved its mettle

proved his mettle in battle

: quality of temperament or disposition

gentlemen of brave mettle

William Shakespeare

mettled

ˈme-tᵊld

adjective

Did you know?

Is mettle Connected to Metal?

Originally, mettle was simply a variant spelling of the word metal (which dates to at least the 13th century), and it was used in all of the same senses as its metallic relative. Over time, however, mettle came to be used mainly in figurative senses referring to the quality of someone's character. It eventually became a distinct English word in its own right, losing its literal sense altogether. Metal remained a term primarily used for those hard, shiny substances such as steel or iron, but it also acquired a figurative use. Today, both words can mean "vigor and strength of spirit or temperament," but only metal is used of metallic substances.

Example Sentences

The competition will test her mettle.

Recent Examples on the Web The Wisconsin volleyball team’s mettle was tested in the Kentucky heat Friday night.

Mark Stewart, Journal Sentinel, 10 Sep. 2022 Beginning Sunday, the squad will try to keep pace in a jumbled Eastern Conference playoff race while testing its mettle against the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chicago Fire, and New York City FC.

BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2022 McIlroy authored another tour de force north of the border at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto on Sunday with a brilliant display of scoring and overcoming a stretch that tested his mettle to win his 21st PGA Tour title.

Steve Dimeglio, USA TODAY, 12 June 2022 The machines have proven their commercial mettle during disrupted supply chains and has offered rapid prototyping capabilities to at-home renaissance workers looking to aid the health care industry.

WIRED, 28 Aug. 2022 Down on the field, meanwhile, teenagers bit down hard on their mouth guards, bracing for contact while finally getting their chance to prove their mettle, the way their dads and brothers and uncles and cousins had proven theirs.

Mike Finger, San Antonio Express-News, 27 Aug. 2022 She’s a person with a stronger sense of herself and a stronger mettle than Jimmy.

Greg Braxtonsenior Writer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2022 The test doesn’t measure character, creativity, tenacity, mettle or any other personal characteristic a student would need to become a successful lawyer.

WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 The moment when our measure will be taken, our mettle tested, our gristle flicked, our gristle wrung, and our gristle kissed.

Dan Abromowitz, The New Yorker, 4 July 2022 See More

mettle

noun

as in strength

strength of spirit; ability to continue despite difficulties He showed his mettle as a fighter tonight with a heroic comeback.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

strength
stamina
courage
power
courageousness
grit
determination
vigor
fortitude
muscle
potency
might
moxie
backbone
puissance
gumption
brio
chutzpah
verve
spunk
hardihood
life
vitality
pluckiness
dash
gusto
pep
ginger
dynamism
gutsiness
esprit
bounce
main
zing
vim
temper
pluck
heart
vinegar
starch
perseverance
oomph
energy
juice
drive
punch
spirit
gas
go
zip
nerve
guts
get-up-and-go
sap
beans
fiber
spunk
spiritedness
spunkiness
vivacity
intestinal fortitude
zeal
snap
sprightliness
élan
resolution
vivaciousness
liveliness
jauntiness
vibrancy
animation
fire
briskness
fervor
ardor
animal spirits
passion
snappiness
vibrance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cowardice
timidity
spinelessness
cowardliness
tenderness
weakness
fearfulness
cravenness
cold feet
feebleness
frailty
softness
poltroonery
timorousness
impotence
dastardliness
delicacy
faintheartedness
infirmity
debility
powerlessness
impotency
slightness
enfeeblement
debilitation
faintness
mousiness
puniness
disablement
frailness

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of mettle are courage, resolution, spirit, and tenacity. While all these words mean "mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship," mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience.

a challenge that will test your mettle

While the synonyms courage and mettle are close in meaning, courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty.

the courage to support unpopular causes

The words resolution and mettle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends.

the resolution of pioneer women

The meanings of spirit and mettle largely overlap; however, spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened.

her spirit was unbroken by failure

Tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat.

held to their beliefs with great tenacity

单词	mettle
释义	mettle noun met·tle ˈme-tᵊl 1 a : vigor and strength of spirit or temperament (see temperament sense 1a) a girl of … mettle who lost a baby brother to leukemia Bill Zehme b : staying quality : stamina equipment that proved its mettle proved his mettle in battle 2 : quality of temperament or disposition gentlemen of brave mettle William Shakespeare mettled ˈme-tᵊld adjective Phrases on one's mettle : aroused to do one's best Did you know? Is mettle Connected to Metal? Originally, mettle was simply a variant spelling of the word metal (which dates to at least the 13th century), and it was used in all of the same senses as its metallic relative. Over time, however, mettle came to be used mainly in figurative senses referring to the quality of someone's character. It eventually became a distinct English word in its own right, losing its literal sense altogether. Metal remained a term primarily used for those hard, shiny substances such as steel or iron, but it also acquired a figurative use. Today, both words can mean "vigor and strength of spirit or temperament," but only metal is used of metallic substances. Example Sentences The competition will test her mettle. Recent Examples on the Web The Wisconsin volleyball team’s mettle was tested in the Kentucky heat Friday night. Mark Stewart, Journal Sentinel, 10 Sep. 2022 Beginning Sunday, the squad will try to keep pace in a jumbled Eastern Conference playoff race while testing its mettle against the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chicago Fire, and New York City FC. BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2022 McIlroy authored another tour de force north of the border at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto on Sunday with a brilliant display of scoring and overcoming a stretch that tested his mettle to win his 21st PGA Tour title. Steve Dimeglio, USA TODAY, 12 June 2022 The machines have proven their commercial mettle during disrupted supply chains and has offered rapid prototyping capabilities to at-home renaissance workers looking to aid the health care industry. WIRED, 28 Aug. 2022 Down on the field, meanwhile, teenagers bit down hard on their mouth guards, bracing for contact while finally getting their chance to prove their mettle, the way their dads and brothers and uncles and cousins had proven theirs. Mike Finger, San Antonio Express-News, 27 Aug. 2022 She’s a person with a stronger sense of herself and a stronger mettle than Jimmy. Greg Braxtonsenior Writer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2022 The test doesn’t measure character, creativity, tenacity, mettle or any other personal characteristic a student would need to become a successful lawyer. WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 The moment when our measure will be taken, our mettle tested, our gristle flicked, our gristle wrung, and our gristle kissed. Dan Abromowitz, The New Yorker, 4 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology alteration of metal First Known Use 1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Phrases Containing mettle on one's mettle prove one's mettle show one's mettle on one's mettle prove one's mettle show one's mettle Kids Definition mettle noun met·tle ˈme-tᵊl : strength of spirit : courage The competition will test her mettle. mettle noun as in strength strength of spirit; ability to continue despite difficulties He showed his mettle as a fighter tonight with a heroic comeback. Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance strength stamina courage power courageousness grit determination vigor fortitude muscle potency might moxie backbone puissance gumption brio chutzpah verve spunk hardihood life vitality pluckiness dash gusto pep ginger dynamism gutsiness esprit bounce main zing vim temper pluck heart vinegar starch perseverance oomph energy juice drive punch spirit gas go zip nerve guts get-up-and-go sap beans fiber spunk spiritedness spunkiness vivacity intestinal fortitude zeal snap sprightliness élan resolution vivaciousness liveliness jauntiness vibrancy animation fire briskness fervor ardor animal spirits passion snappiness vibrance Antonyms & Near Antonyms cowardice timidity spinelessness cowardliness tenderness weakness fearfulness cravenness cold feet feebleness frailty softness poltroonery timorousness impotence dastardliness delicacy faintheartedness infirmity debility powerlessness impotency slightness enfeeblement debilitation faintness mousiness puniness disablement frailness See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of mettle are courage, resolution, spirit, and tenacity. While all these words mean "mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship," mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience. a challenge that will test your mettle While the synonyms courage and mettle are close in meaning, courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty. the courage to support unpopular causes The words resolution and mettle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends. the resolution of pioneer women The meanings of spirit and mettle largely overlap; however, spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened. her spirit was unbroken by failure Tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat. held to their beliefs with great tenacity Phrases Containing mettle on one's mettle on one's mettle
随便看	irresistibleness irresistiblenesses irresistibly irresistless irresolubilities irresoluble irresolute irresolutely irresoluteness irresolutenesses irresolution irresolutions irresolvabilities irresolvable irresolvablenesses irresolved irresolvedly irrespective irrespective of irrespectively irresponsibilities irresponsibility irresponsible irresponsibleness irresponsiblenesses

mettle

noun

Did you know?

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing mettle

Kids Definition

noun

noun

Synonym Chooser

Phrases Containing mettle