mettle
3 synonyms and 1 antonym for mettle, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Courage, strength of character, and determination in the face of difficulty.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use mettle
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
test someone's mettle
prove one's mettle
show mettle
Etymology
A figurative spelling variant of metal, dating back to the 1500s; the two words were once interchangeable before splitting into separate meanings in the 1700s.
Full origin of mettle →Frequently asked questions
What does “mettle” mean?
The word “mettle” means courage, strength of character, and determination in the face of difficulty. In plain terms, inner toughness and courage, especially when things get hard.
How do you pronounce “mettle”?
“Mettle” is pronounced MEH-tuhl (/ˈmɛtəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “mettle” in a sentence?
Here is “mettle” used in a sentence: “The rookie proved her mettle during the final, high-pressure match.”
What part of speech is “mettle”?
“Mettle” is a noun.
Where does the word “mettle” come from?
The word “mettle” dates back to around 1500. A figurative spelling variant of metal, dating back to the 1500s; the two words were once interchangeable before splitting into separate meanings in the 1700s.
