Mettle
noun /ˈmɛtəl/ — A person's ability to cope with difficulty — their spirit and quality of character.
Definition
The inherent quality of a person's character and spirit — particularly their capacity to endure difficulties and persevere under pressure. Mettle is revealed, not performed.
Beyond the definition
You discover someone's mettle — and your own — only when the situation demands more than ordinary. This is why the phrase is 'test of mettle': it is stress that reveals the material beneath the surface.
Origin & history
A variant spelling of 'metal' — the quality of a blade depending on the quality of the metal it's made from. By the 16th century, the metaphorical use (quality of character) had diverged from the physical into its own spelling.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The crisis tested the team's mettle and found most of them equal to it.
She'd been waiting for an opportunity to show her mettle — and here it finally was.
Mettle is not bravado — it's what's left when bravado has been stripped away.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Mettle” when the meaning fits your context: The inherent quality of a person's character and spirit — particularly their capacity to endure difficulties and persevere under pressure. Mettle is revealed, not performed.
Synonyms
Antonyms
weakness, spinelessness
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Mettle" mean?
Mettle is noun meaning: A person's ability to cope with difficulty — their spirit and quality of character.. The inherent quality of a person's character and spirit — particularly their capacity to endure difficulties and persevere under pressure. Mettle is revealed, not performed.
Where does the word "Mettle" come from?
A variant spelling of 'metal' — the quality of a blade depending on the quality of the metal it's made from. By the 16th century, the metaphorical use (quality of character) had diverged from the physical into its own spelling.