steely

adjective

ˈstē-lē How to pronounce steely (audio)
Definition of steelynext
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 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 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 Coley and the audience know this isn’t true, but Sonya’s clenched jaw and steely gaze don’t leave room for questions. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 26 June 2026 Yet while the steely intensity of The Americans‘ Elizabeth Jennings marked a juicy departure for Russell, The Diplomat provides audiences the sheer pleasure of seeing how fully the star comes through and makes the part her own. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for steely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steely
  1. gruff
  2. gray
  3. stern
  4. silver
  5. fierce
  6. grim
  7. rugged
  8. intimidating
Adjective
  • Pangan remembers of Brun, imitating his gruff voice, and shaking her head.
    — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Experiments In Offline Dating by Kat Mackenzie Maya Davis travels to Ireland to find love the old-fashioned way for her dating podcast, only to endure the most disastrous blind date of her life with a gruff sheep farmer.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 31 July 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • Promotional stills, tour visuals and social content have followed the same restrained palette of black, white and grey, with color largely absent from official imagery.
    — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • On April 29, 2001, the duo was spotted in New York City’s Central Park wearing similar baseball caps and brown-and-gray outfits.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of gray
Adjective
  • Most include a warning of no refunds and a stern caution to know the limits of one’s own taste buds—something too many poor souls choose to ignore.
    — Ellen Fort, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026
  • There’s also hints of vulnerability and genuine tenderness in her stern headmistress of the bedroom, which Wilde slips in just slyly enough to let the presence of a heart peek through all the brainy brashness and hormone overload.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • The silver version, which comes with a renewable five-year visa, requires a $150,000 bank deposit, of which half can be used for a mandatory house purchase costing at least $150,000.
    — William P. Barrett, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Her Louis Vuitton gown featured a shredded silver chainmail effect and leather detailing.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 31 July 2026
Definition of silver
Adjective
  • Management tried to modernize a restaurant brand built around nostalgia, underestimated how strongly customers identified with its image, and eventually reversed the change after a fierce backlash.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The jostling grew particularly fierce between South Carolina and Nevada.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • Judging from this album, a lot of grim topics have taken up residence there.
    — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Wasp was a welcome breath of fresh Marvel air after the grim finale of Infinity War, but that’s not enough to justify its entry into the top 20.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of grim
Adjective
  • In Zamora province near the Portuguese border, more than 20 ground and aerial units guarded the perimeter of the Fermoselle fire against flare-ups in the rugged Arribes del Duero landscape.
    — Elena Becatoros, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The rugged Atlantic Coast, forests, and historic towns await retirees in the Northeast.
    — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of rugged
Adjective
  • The lower gravity might make that somewhat less intimidating, but the waves will also move more slowly as well, feeling downright eerie compared with Earth’s.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 31 July 2026
  • The design may also feel less intimidating than a rigid robotic frame.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of intimidating

Browse Nearby Words

steels
steely
steep
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Cite this Entry

“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steely. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of steely for Spanish Speakers

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