Definition

Noun: 1. A person's inherent ability to cope with difficulty, challenge, or hardship; their spirit, resilience, and fortitude. It refers to the inner strength of character that allows someone to persevere. 2. The quality of being spirited, courageous, and determined. It often implies a combination of bravery and endurance.

Usage

The word "mettle" is used to describe the core strength of a person's character, especially when it is revealed or tested by difficult circumstances. It is a formal and somewhat literary term.

Examples: * The long, grueling expedition tested the mettle of every climber. * She showed her true mettle when she calmly handled the crisis. * The team's mettle was proven by their comeback victory in the final minutes.

Advanced Usage

• To be on one's mettle: To be in a situation that requires one to do one's best, as one's abilities are being tested or challenged.
  • The difficult interview questions really put the candidate on her mettle.
• To prove one's mettle: To demonstrate one's strength of character and ability.
  • He finally had a chance to prove his mettle as a leader during the project's failure.

Variants and Related Words

• Mettlesome (adjective): Spirited, courageous, and full of energy.
  • The mettlesome young horse was difficult to tame.

Synonyms

• Spirit
• Fortitude
• Resilience
• Grit
• Backbone
• Courage
• Determination
• Resolve

Idioms and Phrases

• To test someone's mettle: To challenge someone in a way that reveals their true character and strength.
  • The military training was designed to test the recruits' mettle.

Noun

1. the courage to carry on
   • he kept fighting on pure spunk
   • you haven't got the heart for baseball