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
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Recent Examples of steely
The sluggish living makes sense for steely behemoths that live comfortably into their 200s and possible to 400 or more.
—
Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 4 May 2026
Oettinger stopped 40 shots in another steely performance in his home state.
—CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
But his Hamlet needs a stalwart supporting cast with whom to spar, and Ahmed tangles beautifully with Shakespeare veteran Timothy Spall, who plays Laertes’ father and family adviser Polonius, and Morfydd Clark as a steely but vulnerable Ophelia.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Most of the cover is given over to a steely portrait of Skeets’s uncle Benson James, who was photographed by Richard Avedon for his series In the American West in 1979, then stabbed to death a year later.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steely
Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 4 May 2026
Oettinger stopped 40 shots in another steely performance in his home state.
—CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
But his Hamlet needs a stalwart supporting cast with whom to spar, and Ahmed tangles beautifully with Shakespeare veteran Timothy Spall, who plays Laertes’ father and family adviser Polonius, and Morfydd Clark as a steely but vulnerable Ophelia.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Most of the cover is given over to a steely portrait of Skeets’s uncle Benson James, who was photographed by Richard Avedon for his series In the American West in 1979, then stabbed to death a year later.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steely
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Ye-jin is drawn in by the caring nature beneath Matthew’s gruff surface.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
29 May 2026
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But the grizzled former Man in Black and man-who-failed-to-ground-Maverick isn’t known for playing the type of gruff ol’ cowpoke who’s about to break into song.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Selena Gomez leaves the set of Only Murders in the Building season 6 in a classic gray sweater in London on May 27.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
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The contrast between the dark gray dress and white body suit is perfect for Gauff’s Paris evening wear.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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His portrait, stern and majestic, hangs broodingly over the stairs; elsewhere on the walls, the art ranges from the Baroque to the bro-tinged, with turbaned figures sharing space with Ryu from Street Fighter.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
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The cop, who was fingerprinted after taking the deal, had a stern expression throughout the brief hearing.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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The 46-year-old fitness instructor shared an Instagram post featuring a photo of herself lying on a lounge chair by a pool while wearing a silver bikini.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
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Just like the choice between a gold or silver band and natural or lab-grown diamonds, engagement ring budgets are personal and should be determined by the couple's budget and long-term financial goals.—
Kelsey Neubauer,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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Reddit is home to many of Civilization VII’s fiercest critics, but Test of Time also appears to be well received there, too.—
Barry Collins,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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She will be remembered for her loving generosity, fierce opinions, endless curiosity, unique style, and her powdered, almond, crescent cookies at Christmas, hence her name, Auntie Cookie.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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The world may have looked grim in what was also a penultimate week before elections, when the focus becomes necessarily not on joy but misery, the political premise being the winning candidate is the one who makes the electorate the angriest.—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
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The combination of factors threatens to make what is a grim situation worse.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Holly Wheeler, vice president of global brand marketing at Kontoor Brands, said the partnership with Coors Banquet honors Wrangler’s music heritage, blending festival style with rugged functionality.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
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This rugged Makita vacuum for cars can run for up to 30 minutes on a charge and its suction can be reversed to blow dirt and debris out of tight spaces.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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When safety is embedded into the workplace culture, changing regulations become less intimidating because the organization is already oriented around protecting people.—
John F. McQuillan,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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The context makes their league triumph all the more impressive and all the more intimidating.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steely. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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