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
Maryland needed every bit of its mettle, and every bit of its magical freshman’s talent, to survive.
—
Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025
To prove their mettle, the five women tackle the murder of a long-missing English nurse, whose corpse was discovered in a Paris park (although she had been strangled, she was found in a pool of blood).
—Chris Hewitt, Boston Herald, 9 Mar. 2025
The obstacles continue even after the team proves their mettle.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2025
Others are brilliant master watchmakers who long toil for other brands and one day strike out on their own to prove their mettle.
—Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mettle
Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025
To prove their mettle, the five women tackle the murder of a long-missing English nurse, whose corpse was discovered in a Paris park (although she had been strangled, she was found in a pool of blood).
—Chris Hewitt, Boston Herald, 9 Mar. 2025
The obstacles continue even after the team proves their mettle.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2025
Others are brilliant master watchmakers who long toil for other brands and one day strike out on their own to prove their mettle.
—Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mettle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mettle
Noun
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Getty Images That said, international and U.S. stock returns tend to ebb and flow in cycles, with each showing multi-year periods of relative strength and weakness.—
Greg Iacurci,Jessica Dickler,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2025
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Neuroplasticity allows for the formation of new connections, the purging of obsolete ones, and changes in the strength of existing connections—all processes that make subtle changes to the structure of our neural networks.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In both world wars, the key to victory was not so much military prowess as unbeatable stamina.—
Lawrence D. Freedman,
Foreign Affairs,
14 Apr. 2025
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Speed and stamina are core aspects of their role, and for most, these take a nosedive around these ages.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Because a bat has a thick barrel and rotates when swung, its motion and power depend on the distribution of weight across the entire shaft, not just in one spot.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2025
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For Manal, the real power of the album lies in speaking up about topics considered taboo in society.—
Nour Ezzedine,
Billboard,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There comes a moment for every leader when the clearest sign of strength is found not in agreement, compromise, or accommodation but in the clarity and courage to firmly say no.—
Dan Pontefract,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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Adding to the timeliness of this welter of Weill is the composer’s reputation for political courage.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mettle. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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