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 grey
of the color gray
steely eyes that are the color of a stormy sky
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of steely
The voice-over in the videos, which nodded ironically to the steely voices of old-fashioned science documentaries, urged younger viewers to think of deëxtinction technology as cool.
—
D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Kilmer demonstrated an incredible range, bouncing between slapstick zaniness, high drama, breathless action, and steely determination.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The stories sit like figures in a painting by Alice Neel, if all the camaraderie in Neel’s work were drained out: staring straight ahead, some steely, some yearning, countenances slightly askew, drawn with thick streaks of candor, elbows jutting sideways.
—Audrey Wollen, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
Edgecombe sealed the win with a steely 10-point second-half performance.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Kilmer demonstrated an incredible range, bouncing between slapstick zaniness, high drama, breathless action, and steely determination.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The stories sit like figures in a painting by Alice Neel, if all the camaraderie in Neel’s work were drained out: staring straight ahead, some steely, some yearning, countenances slightly askew, drawn with thick streaks of candor, elbows jutting sideways.
—Audrey Wollen, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
Edgecombe sealed the win with a steely 10-point second-half performance.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steely
Adjective
-
Bowling paints with the rhythm of a gruff intellectual.—
James Russell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2025
-
The actor behind the gruff but lovable Roy Kent shared a purrfectly eccentric analogy about the show's return on a recent episode of NPR's Wild Card podcast.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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For a warm and welcoming design idea, such as a patio hugged in greenery, consider a cream-colored block—a nice middle ground between edgy grey concrete and natural stone.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
18 Apr. 2025
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Lindo, at 6 feet 4 inches, enters the restaurant on an overcast Wednesday afternoon, sporting aviator shades, a thin, grey beanie, and a colorful summer scarf of different orange, pink, and yellow hues.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Ars Technica: One of the most visually arresting images from James Cameron's blockbuster film Titanic was the ship's stern sticking straight up out of the water after breaking apart from the bow.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
10 Apr. 2025
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Leeds also drive some of the sternest vitriol along opponents’ terraces.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The women also showed off their personal style, with Karen Fairchild opting for an orange minidress under a gray suit jacket and fishnet stockings, and Kimberly Schlapman choosing a black minidress with fuzzy fringe on the bottom.—
Lori A Bashian Fox News,
FOXNews.com,
19 Apr. 2025
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Choose from four different finishes: brown, dark brown, gray wash, and white wash.—
Ali Faccenda,
People.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The documentary follows the story of Ángel, a charismatic boy with fierce love for his Guarani roots and a vision for his Paraguayan hometown of Nanawa.—
Lise Pedersen,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
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The Battle of Okinawa lasted 82 days, with fierce fighting on land and sea.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In celebration of this historic ride, M.S. Rau in New Orleans is offering three silver pieces handcrafted by the American revolutionary, including a coffee pot for $1,285,000.—
Richard Johnson,
New York Daily News,
13 Apr. 2025
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The Academy Award-winning actress paired the look with dangling diamond earrings, a silver Gucci clutch purse and metallic platform high-heel shoes.—
Lori A Bashian Fox News,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
In April, 2004, Phish played a series of exceptionally grim shows in Las Vegas.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
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And then, as if he’s already relived the moment in question and arrived at the same, grim decision, Joel’s expression hardens.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Premiering April 20 on Nat Geo and streaming April 21 on Disney+ and Hulu, the three-part series is a visual triumph made possible by engineering grit, field science, and the kind of rugged tech innovation typically reserved for space exploration.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
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Unveiled at the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, this futuristic machine is built to handle rugged terrain with ease, combining cutting-edge robotics and sustainable energy.—
Fox News Staff,
FOXNews.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steely. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
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