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.
Washington nails Malcolm’s steely militancy and gift of gab, but the performance goes far deeper, examining the early failings and eventual righteous fury that transformed him into a once-in-a-lifetime political figure. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2024 And two new regional enemies – Kansas City mob boss Bill Bevilaqua (Frank Grillo) and steely Tulsa businessman Cal Thresher (Neal McDonough) have harshed Manfredi's mellow all season. Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 17 Nov. 2024 Why not the kid with spiked hair and a steely glare? Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2024 The substitute had scored with his first touch, just two minutes after replacing the ineffective Gabriel Martinelli, and his slow walk and steely glare before eventually celebrating said an awful lot. Art De Roché, The Athletic, 25 Aug. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near steely

Cite this Entry

“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steely. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

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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