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
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2
as in grey
of the color gray
steely eyes that are the color of a stormy sky
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of steely
This is what Denver hasn’t been far too often this season: steely, unrelenting, resilient, passionate.
—
Tony Jones, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
The Oscar-winning actress plays Danielle Sutton, a steely veteran, mother of two and president of the United States.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025
Geoffrey Ulysses Geissinger, who stepped into the role of Bill Clinton just three days before opening night, gives a wonderfully nuanced performance as the former president, whose philandering helped create the steely woman Hillary has become.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
The voice-over in the videos, which nodded ironically to the steely voices of old-fashioned science documentaries, urged younger viewers to think of deëxtinction technology as cool.
—D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Tony Jones, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
The Oscar-winning actress plays Danielle Sutton, a steely veteran, mother of two and president of the United States.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025
Geoffrey Ulysses Geissinger, who stepped into the role of Bill Clinton just three days before opening night, gives a wonderfully nuanced performance as the former president, whose philandering helped create the steely woman Hillary has become.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
The voice-over in the videos, which nodded ironically to the steely voices of old-fashioned science documentaries, urged younger viewers to think of deëxtinction technology as cool.
—D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steely
Adjective
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Bowling paints with the rhythm of a gruff intellectual.—
James Russell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2025
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The actor behind the gruff but lovable Roy Kent shared a purrfectly eccentric analogy about the show's return on a recent episode of NPR's Wild Card podcast.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In one of the videos, obtained by CNN from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, Dali can be seen proceeding through the security checkpoint’s body scanner, and getting a pat down while wearing a tan shirt over a grey hoodie and jeans.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2025
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Josh McDaniels was looking thinner, and he’s got more grey hairs on his head, but the offensive coordinator – returning for his third stint with the Patriots – seemed recharged in his first meeting with reporters since being hired by head coach Mike Vrabel in January.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Raid 2, for instance, a two and a half hour crime and punishment epic, boils down to one man’s struggle to win the approval of his stern father; whether this is significant to Evans’ life or not, the motif nonetheless transitions cleanly into Havoc.—
Andy Crump,
Time,
26 Apr. 2025
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The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has issued a stern warning about a predatory fish that can grow up to 3 feet long, slither across land and breathe air.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Penny Jo dreams of being able to have Dolly's outlook on life because her world feels so gray, dark, and trapped.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
1 May 2025
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The chair comes with dark gray and light gray cushions, and both are on sale for up to 51 percent off.—
Rachel Trujillo,
People.com,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Melania Trump has courted controversy, garnered attention for her fashion Trump's fashion choices are the subject of fierce controversy and constant attention.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
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Seven new projects debut on the 15-spot roster, making competition surprisingly fierce.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But about three-fourths of Hurdle’s new clients have already decided to join the silver sisterhood, and in those cases, greyblending is all done below the line of demarcation to adapt to the colors of the new growth.—
Lindsy Van Gelder,
Allure,
25 Apr. 2025
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For its silver anniversary, the BET Awards is pulling out all the stops.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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His grim work handling dead sheep gives the movie its title, but little time is actually spent at Stan’s job.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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One such fragment of the original George III statue, found in a swamp in Connecticut, will be part of the Museum of the City of New York’s 250th-anniversary exhibition, spotlighting the grim period between that celebratory moment and the departure of British forces in 1783.—
John Hanc,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Nestled against a mountainside in the rugged Alatau region surrounding Almaty, Kazakhstan, Mazhitova’s home is indeed singular, bringing to mind the cavelike villas designed by maverick French architect Jacques Couëlle in the 1950s and ’60s, or the rustic dwellings of Tolkien’s Middle-earth.—
Amy Bradford,
Architectural Digest,
3 May 2025
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That won’t necessarily solve the spacing issues on the offensive end, but Looney is often Kerr’s counter in rugged environments and could help shore up the defensive issues that are becoming more troubling.—
Anthony Slater,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steely. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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