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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 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 The actor opened up about the origins of his steely exterior in a 2023 interview with USA TODAY. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 On Prison Break, the steely-eyed William Fichtner played relentless FBI agent Alexander Mahone, who is tasked with hunting the main characters down. — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Aug. 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
  • 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
  • Robinson, wearing a light gray suit, uncuffed and unshackled, did not address the court.
    — Michael Ruiz , Jamie Vera, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Attias stood in the hotel lobby, whose design leans toward gray, black, white, earth tones and chrome.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of gray
Adjective
  • But the rugged terrain would prove a stern test for some competitors.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The fear had to be that Stewart’s Star Trek captain, by comparison, would feel like your stern and authoritarian father had finally come home to shut down the party and tell everyone they were grounded.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • In the library, Joel—who decorated the place himself—had a model of the Queen Mary on his mantel, and in the living room facing the fireplace was a triptych of the Last Supper along with silver jugs and bowls on a nearby table.
    — Michael Gioia, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Isabella held a silver metallic clutch in one hand, complementing the subtle sheen of her gown.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of silver
Adjective
  • But this latest poll reflects a fierce anti-Trump sentiment among Michigan voters.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • As the company navigates fierce critics and a wave of communities outside the Atlanta area ending their contracts, Flock has been tightening some standards on its own, nationwide.
    — Graham Hurley, CNN Money, 1 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
  • For more experienced hikers seeking extremes, the Backcountry Trail is a rugged seven-mile trek with steep grades passing primitive campsites, perfect for spending the night underneath the stars.
    — Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • And as an appropriate choice for such a rugged rendering, the entirety of the Goadome is rendered in black.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of rugged
Adjective
  • 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
  • The Man With the Bag is rated PG, which means there couldn’t possibly have been a moment where Schwarzenegger called his family, say, covered in fake blood or wielding an intimidating weapon.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of intimidating

Browse Nearby Words

steels
steely
steep
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of cockamamie

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All