1
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
pinned them with a steely gaze and demanded to know what they were doing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gray
of the color gray
steely eyes that are the color of a stormy sky
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of steely
Cordell Walker, a steely-eyed former Marine who dispensed Lone Star justice with roundhouse kicks and a decidedly old-school moral code.
—
Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Filmmaker Ashley Shanté pitched a Hollywood writers’ room on the idea of adding a character who graduated from a historically Black college or university (HBCU), and was met with steely silence.
—Joshua Alston, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
An armada of steely clouds with coal-black hulls was scudding between the rims, while a wash of pale pigments played across the canyon walls in a way that was entirely unfamiliar to me.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Yet beneath what might seem a meek exterior lies a steely determination.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steely
Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Filmmaker Ashley Shanté pitched a Hollywood writers’ room on the idea of adding a character who graduated from a historically Black college or university (HBCU), and was met with steely silence.
—Joshua Alston, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
An armada of steely clouds with coal-black hulls was scudding between the rims, while a wash of pale pigments played across the canyon walls in a way that was entirely unfamiliar to me.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Yet beneath what might seem a meek exterior lies a steely determination.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steely
Adjective
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As Liborio, an orphan who risked his life to cross the border and ended up living in the attic of a bookstore thanks to the kindness of the gruff owner, Chief (Eddie Marsan), the actor plays a narrator who consistently breaks the fourth wall.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
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As Woody Harrelson detailed Harrison Ford's accomplishments from the Actors Awards stage, the famously gruff actor seemed to squirm in his seat, somehow uncomfortable with praise even at the age of 83.—
Eve Batey,
Vanity Fair,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Murray is 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighs 230 pounds, and was last seen wearing a gray shirt, gray sweatpants and black and blue shoes.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
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The majority of the seats are in place, alternated in pink, black, gray and white with some positioned to depict a heron, the team’s mascot.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some of the movie is an acid satire of pre-wedding rituals — like the first dance that Charlie and Emma are dutifully rehearsing for, with a ridiculously stern taskmaster of a coach.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2026
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Born in Michigan, Tolkan served in the Navy before studying at the Actors Studio, eventually becoming Hollywood’s go-to stern authority figure for decades.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The other was that the silver oxide batteries that ran them had the longevity of a peanut at an elephant convention – especially if the watch had an electromechanical analog display with its power-hungry step motor.—
David Szondy
March 28,
New Atlas,
28 Mar. 2026
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Apple runs her high femme little coven out of their store Free Eden with an emphasis on iconic women — the girls confess to their martyr Marilyn Monroe in a dressing room, and practice dark magic with their panties and a silver cowboy boot.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Nothing except getting into fierce arguments with fellow-Jews, some would say, which Olitzky—who has a round, boyish face and a conciliatory manner—portrayed as a privilege rather than a burden.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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With one-of-a-kind offerings from the likes of Inglenook, Crocker & Starr, Amici Cellars, Peju, Long Meadow Ranch, and a collaboration between Dakota Shy and Detert Family Vineyards, bidding was fierce on Cabernet Franc.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The German Marshall Fund think tank reached a similarly grim conclusion.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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At the Church of Saint Andrew in Bucha, after viewing dozens of graphic photographs and a video display of the massacres with his EU counterparts, Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski was grim.—
Lorne Cook,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Perched on a bluff that overlooks Irish Beach, a private area within Manchester State Park, the home boasts an unobstructed, 180-degree view of the rugged Mendocino coastline.—
Kelsey Mulvey,
Vogue,
2 Apr. 2026
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Unlike the near side -- the side seen from Earth -- which is smoother and has flat lava plains known as maria, the far side is rugged and heavily cratered.—
ByMary Kekatos,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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By addressing each of these messes individually, refreshing your home should become much less intimidating, Davis says.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
1 Apr. 2026
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The stadium was bigger, louder and more intimidating.—
Zoe Bahjat,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steely. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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