steelier; steeliest
Synonyms of steelynext
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.
Anchored in steely guitars and meditative keys, the track tells a rare, almost sacred kind of intimacy to life. Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2026 Rudy Gobert, who had a steely 14 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks, fouled out. CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026 Faut has a steely confidence and a quiet authority. Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026 That story concerns Kay Scarpetta, a forensic pathologist of the usual steely determination. Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steely. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

steely

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

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