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
Under Jordan’s steely command, deep house, disco, and UK garage all bend in supplication to the almighty groove.
—
Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025
Colman Domingo, who won an Emmy for his role as Rue’s sponsor Ali, is similarly set to return, as is Martha Kelly in her role as steely drug dealer Laurie.
—Jami Ganz, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025
For steaming the grains to an ideal fluffy-stickiness, the Taiwanese electronics brand Tatung makes a beautiful, retro-chic, steely-shiny electric rice cooker ($250, also available in apple green and cheery red), which has remained virtually unchanged since the nineteen-sixties.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Eight species of swans, from the classic North American trumpeter to the steely Russian Bewick, resided there and inspired regular pilgrimages to gawk, to (illegally) feed, to admire.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
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Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025
Colman Domingo, who won an Emmy for his role as Rue’s sponsor Ali, is similarly set to return, as is Martha Kelly in her role as steely drug dealer Laurie.
—Jami Ganz, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025
For steaming the grains to an ideal fluffy-stickiness, the Taiwanese electronics brand Tatung makes a beautiful, retro-chic, steely-shiny electric rice cooker ($250, also available in apple green and cheery red), which has remained virtually unchanged since the nineteen-sixties.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Eight species of swans, from the classic North American trumpeter to the steely Russian Bewick, resided there and inspired regular pilgrimages to gawk, to (illegally) feed, to admire.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 12 Nov. 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 6 Dec. 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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