steelier; steeliest
1
: resembling or suggesting steel (as in hardness, color, strength, or coldness)
steely determination
steely blue
2
: made of steel
steeliness noun

Examples of steely in a Sentence

a thief with steely nerves He had a steely determination to succeed. She gave him a steely gaze. a sky filled with steely gray clouds the judge's steely blue eyes
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
An outgoing, flirty foil to Ellie’s brusque, steely demeanor, Dina’s playful banter with her pal is laced with the charge of friendly conversation that could tip into romantic intimacy on a dime. Abby Monteil, Them., 14 Apr. 2025 This is what Denver hasn’t been far too often this season: steely, unrelenting, resilient, passionate. Tony Jones, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025 The Oscar-winning actress plays Danielle Sutton, a steely veteran, mother of two and president of the United States. Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025 Geoffrey Ulysses Geissinger, who stepped into the role of Bill Clinton just three days before opening night, gives a wonderfully nuanced performance as the former president, whose philandering helped create the steely woman Hillary has become. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for steely

Word History

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of steely was in 1509

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Cite this Entry

“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steely. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

steely

adjective
steelier; steeliest
1
: made of steel
2
: resembling steel (as in hardness or color)
a steely gaze
steeliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on steely

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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