Synonyms of steely

steely

adjective

ˈstē-lē 

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

• gruff
• stern
• fierce
• grim
• rugged
• intimidating
• flinty
• hostile
• forbidding
• severe
• bleak
• stark
• dour
• hardened
• austere
• rough
• cold
• lowering
• stubborn
• dark
• somber
• ungentle
• resolute
• solemn
• black
• steadfast
• moody
• unflinching
• implacable
• determined
• stiff
• adamant
• unbending
• rigid
• unrelenting
• unyielding
• obdurate
• uncompromising
• inhospitable
• unsympathetic
• obstinate
• intent
• firm
• immovable
• bound
• purposeful
• unfriendly
• resolved
• inimical
• sullen
• willful
• fixed
• inflexible
• serious
• hardheaded
• hard
• melancholy
• mulish
• morose
• unchangeable
• melancholic
• unsmiling
• immutable
• brooding
• surly
• sulky
• cheerless
• humorless
• gloomy
• joyless
• glum
• sober
• set
• staid
• grave
• weighty
• self-willed
• ironhanded
• sobersided

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gentle
• mild
• benign
• soft
• tender
• mellow
• meek
• benignant
• bland
• quiet
• soothing
• easy
• sweet
• bright
• tranquil
• cheerful
• pleasant
• agreeable
• pleasing
• nonintimidating
• sunny
• inviting
• happy
• glad
• merry
• mirthful
• playful
• lighthearted
• goofy
• silly
• frivolous
• giddy
• flighty
• scatterbrained
• featherbrained
• harebrained
• light-headed

2

as in gray

of the color gray

steely eyes that are the color of a stormy sky

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gray
• silver
• silvery
• white
• slate
• pale
• faded
• grayish
• slaty
• leaden
• pewter
• neutral
• argentine
• dull
• sandy
• dirty
• whitish
• ashen
• colorless
• achromatic
• mousy
• chalky
• sad
• ashy
• chocolate
• grizzled
• livid
• hoary
• sepia
• dun
• washed-out
• palish
• hoar
• brindled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deep
• bright
• rich
• gay
• colored
• chromatic
• colorful
• ablaze
• variegated
• polychromatic
• varicolored
• multicolored
• polychrome
• motley

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of steely

Her steely vow aside, the talk show host turned media mogul digs deep while reacting to standout clips from her 40-plus years in the spotlight. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 21 July 2026

Whether your particular version of gray hair is bright white, a steely salt-and-pepper, or somewhere stunningly in-between, certain cuts bring out the dimension of your shade and the best of your texture. — Marci Robin, Allure, 17 July 2026

Alois Ruf is a modest man who has grown the family business—Porsche optimization—with a steely stealthiness and notable technical ambition. — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 13 July 2026

Not long after Zack Wheeler had undergone a thrombolysis procedure to remove a blood clot near his right shoulder, his longtime agent tried to crack the pitcher’s steely exterior. — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 6 July 2026