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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grey
of the color gray
steely eyes that are the color of a stormy sky
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of steely
From aching indie rock to steely corridos tumbados, flirtatious reggaetón Mexa to heartfelt boleros, Armenta captures a kaleidoscope of moods while staying rooted in raw emotion.
—
Natalia Cano, Billboard, 8 Aug. 2025
By far, the deepest relationship of his life was with his wife, Mary, whose steely resolve helped bolster his commitment to freeing enslaved people.
—Christi Parsons, Chicago Tribune, 27 July 2025
Played by the steely yet vulnerable Israeli actress Niv Sultan, Tamar infiltrates her former country with ease and initially takes shelter in Tehran with her aunt, who had remained behind.
—Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2025
Rather, the Wildcats got here through steely resolve.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Natalia Cano, Billboard, 8 Aug. 2025
By far, the deepest relationship of his life was with his wife, Mary, whose steely resolve helped bolster his commitment to freeing enslaved people.
—Christi Parsons, Chicago Tribune, 27 July 2025
Played by the steely yet vulnerable Israeli actress Niv Sultan, Tamar infiltrates her former country with ease and initially takes shelter in Tehran with her aunt, who had remained behind.
—Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2025
Rather, the Wildcats got here through steely resolve.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steely
Adjective
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Busta also received an assist from Papoose and Joyner Lucas, all of them sharing lyrical wordplay and seamless tradeoffs as Busta swung between his trademark dichotomy of rapping to gruff bellowing.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Old Man was short and gruff and had chin whiskers.—
Robert Easton,
Outdoor Life,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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From stern to bow, the boat was a lesson in restrained elegance, with plenty of teak wood and muted, calming shades.—
Rachel Wallace,
Architectural Digest,
4 Sep. 2025
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But after nabbing the part of the stern hotel manager Valentina in the second season of The White Lotus (2022), Impacciatore was launched into Hollywood fame.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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It’s set in a small-town community in upstate New York, where the long-gray-haired and bearded Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) is the contempo version of a fire-and-brimstone cult leader, preaching fury in the form of piety.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
7 Sep. 2025
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But Leticia Gutierrez, a gray-haired Catholic nun, asked them to sit down.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Despite fierce opposition to certain kids books by conservative activists, Maricopa County, which serves 144,000 library cardholders, received only 12 formal letters asking for reevaluation of library books and DVDs since 2021.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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In August, the discontent grew when a leak showed that the White House's forthcoming MAHA strategy report would sidestep tougher limits on pesticides and other agrochemicals, bowing to fierce industry pressure.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Kraus is described as having long, silver hair and brown eyes.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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This elevated, one-of-a-kind in-room dining experience presents the city’s beloved sandwich – whose origins date back to the 1930s – on a silver platter with white-glove service, blending luxury with the comfort and flavor of the classic.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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While Ne Zha’s home of Chentang Pass is being obliterated, we’re shown a grim, apocalyptic tableau of mass death that features a family with a young child frozen in ash.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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The grim irony of Sudan’s predicament is that Africa’s third-largest country boasts significant mineral reserves, including huge quantities of gold, as well as vast swathes of arable land.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Marswalker has rugged wheels in each corner for gripping the steps, as well as a long antenna to sense angles and heights.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
6 Sep. 2025
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The two largest rams were lying down, seemingly enjoying their cuds and the panorama of Bear Canyon and the rugged San Andres Mountains that stretched beyond them.—
Tim Kelly,
Outdoor Life,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For starters, the Nittany Lions play their home games at Beaver Stadium, which can be an intimidating place with seating for 106,572 fans.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
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The easier tasks are less intimidating and will help build your confidence to work on something more challenging in the future.—
Keenan Thompson,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steely. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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