STEELY Synonyms: 170 Similar and Opposite Words

steely

adjective

ˈstē-lē

Definition of steely

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of steely The Baldwin brothers — Alec, Daniel, Billy and Stephen — all look very similar with their salt-and-pepper hair and steely blue eyes. — Emy Lacroix, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2026 The official winners of the Ballon d’Or have been announced, with Harry Kane and Alexia Putellas awarded their trophies at the London Palladium, receiving the acclaim (and the odd steely stare of jealousy) from their peers. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2026 Mid-October in New York City is often filled with gloomy gray days, and the Financial District—the Big Apple’s steely home for big business, bougie briefcases, and skyscrapers—tends to be a pretty colorless place. — Eden Stuart, Allure, 19 Oct. 2026 Over coffee in Washington recently, Young, who has thick silver hair and steely green eyes, praised the courage of such litigators. — Eyal Press, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for steely

Recent Examples of Synonyms for steely

Adjective

The two-time Oscar winner wrote in his upcoming memoir, Look at Me, that Nichols was gruff in their interactions.

— Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Nov. 2026
Loneliness looms as a threat to all genders, but men, who are lauded for gruff stoicism and scorned for vulnerability, can be especially ill-equipped to navigate atomization.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of gruff

Adjective

The cool-gray Georgetown men’s basketball team used a red-hot performance from deep to spark an 86-74 win over Maryland.

— Des Bieler, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
The Vatican said Saturday that another 10,000 had attended, despite the morning rain and blustery, gray skies.

— ISABEL DEBRE, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of gray

Adjective

He was known as an affable coach with great technical acumen, but also didn’t hesitate to show a more stern side of himself if the infielders weren’t performing up to the level they were expected to.

— Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 Nov. 2026
Two days after Democrats routed Republicans in the US midterm elections, the American Embassy in El Salvador posted a stern reminder on social media.

— Merlín Delcid, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of stern

Adjective

Lady Eliza wore the silver number by Oscar de la Renta, featuring semi-sheer fabric beneath the crushed silver overlay with hints of botanical design elements throughout.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2026
Investigators were looking for a white or silver Mazda MPV minivan from the early 2000s or a similar vehicle, according to the CHP.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of silver

Adjective

But many others are unpopular and have faced fierce opposition.

— Joe Heim, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026
The once-fierce rivalry, which accounted for five Stanley Cup titles from 1996-2002, has cooled significantly since Detroit moved to the Eastern Conference and the teams have not been competitive at the same time.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of fierce

Adjective

The mood was grim at the Manama Dialogue, an annual security summit in Bahrain organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

— Cara Anna, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
The motto of the franchise is ‘In the grim darkness of the far future, there is nothing but war,’ which could tap into his darker sensibilities, but Flanagan wasn’t giving much away when Deadline probed for an update.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of grim

Adjective

Corsica is a place where cinematic elegance meets rugged natural beauty.

— Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2026
With its rugged coastlines, forests, and small villages, the western side of Zealand offers an ideal setting for a break from everyday life.

— Sara Berardi, Architectural Digest, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of rugged

Adjective

The goal is to make car maintenance less intimidating and give people the confidence to recognize what their vehicles need in a safe space.

— Beret Leone, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
Mix the unique transmission with that generation Vantage’s most intimidating looks, and you’re left with a car overflowing with bravado.

— Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of intimidating

Browse Nearby Words

steels

steely

steep

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“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steely. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of steely

adjective

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