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
The weekend in Hyannis taught Carolyn that where steely Kennedy women are concerned, the best thing to do is to submit.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
His steely aide-de-camp, Mauricio Corredor (also based on a historical figure), is of Rarámuri heritage but has assimilated into Mexican culture.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
There was no pain or fear, only a steely negation of reality.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Just a steely look into the striker’s eyes and a sniff to smell his intentions.
—Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steely
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Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
His steely aide-de-camp, Mauricio Corredor (also based on a historical figure), is of Rarámuri heritage but has assimilated into Mexican culture.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
There was no pain or fear, only a steely negation of reality.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Just a steely look into the striker’s eyes and a sniff to smell his intentions.
—Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steely
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steely. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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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