steelier; steeliest
Synonyms of steelynext
1
: resembling or suggesting steel (as in hardness, color, strength, or coldness)
steely determination
steely blue
2
: made of steel
steeliness noun

Examples of steely in a Sentence

a thief with steely nerves He had a steely determination to succeed. She gave him a steely gaze. a sky filled with steely gray clouds the judge's steely blue eyes
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Other people, such as Jason McCall, are steely veterans of the nation’s largest sporting event. Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026 His eyes are steely, his face weathered by each bruising chapter of his life. Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026 Before long, the film will shift gears to a third main character, Madame Suman’s daughter-in-law Nat (a steely Davika Hoorne), who recently died of lung disease and longs for her still-living husband March (Witsarut Himmarat). Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026 The dial plate is bright aquamarine, adding a pop of color to an otherwise steely piece. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for steely

Word History

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of steely was in 1509

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steely. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

steely

adjective
steelier; steeliest
1
: made of steel
2
: resembling steel (as in hardness or color)
a steely gaze
steeliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on steely

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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