steelier; steeliest
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
Then there’s the steely courage of Betty Ong, an American Airlines flight attendant on Flight 11, the first plane to crash into the World Trade Center on 9/11.
—
Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Brad Ingelsby’s follow-up to the much-beloved Mare of Easttown switches focus from steely women to feeble men.
—Grace Byron, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
In an essay published in Vogue, longtime magazine editor Anna Wintour characterized Armani as a steely, dedicated and, above all, innovative force in the fashion industry.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
The Chicago Athletic Association offers an elevated members club experience without the steely pretension.
—Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
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Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Brad Ingelsby’s follow-up to the much-beloved Mare of Easttown switches focus from steely women to feeble men.
—Grace Byron, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
In an essay published in Vogue, longtime magazine editor Anna Wintour characterized Armani as a steely, dedicated and, above all, innovative force in the fashion industry.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
The Chicago Athletic Association offers an elevated members club experience without the steely pretension.
—Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steely. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
steely
adjective
steelier; steeliest
1
: made of steel
2
: resembling steel (as in hardness or color)
a steely gaze
steeliness
noun
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