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
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of steely
Raised in smoky Manchester, her tiny hands toiling away in cotton mills, she’s kept in line by a steely disciplinarian father.
—
Radhika Seth, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2025
Contrasting those steely hues is a black ceramic bezel.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 31 Aug. 2025
His life is shaken up with the unexpected arrival of his estranged birth mother, Marg, a steely, misfit who reminds him of himself.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2025
By far, the deepest relationship of his life was with his wife, Mary, whose steely resolve helped bolster his commitment to freeing enslaved people.
—Christi Parsons, Chicago Tribune, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Radhika Seth, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2025
Contrasting those steely hues is a black ceramic bezel.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 31 Aug. 2025
His life is shaken up with the unexpected arrival of his estranged birth mother, Marg, a steely, misfit who reminds him of himself.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2025
By far, the deepest relationship of his life was with his wife, Mary, whose steely resolve helped bolster his commitment to freeing enslaved people.
—Christi Parsons, Chicago Tribune, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steely
Adjective
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Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The barbs were frequently aimed at the gruff owner of Mel’s Diner played by the late Vic Tayback.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, Baltimore has received a stern warning on closing out big games from former All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
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Shatter and Falconi had formed Flipper in the late 1970s Bay Area at the dawn of hardcore, the tougher and sterner punk variant that had a stronghold in California.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Mary Anne MacLeod grew up in a suburb, a village called Tong — really just a cluster of houses, including the early 20th century squat gray stucco bungalow that was her family's home.—
Lauren Frayer,
NPR,
14 Sep. 2025
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On one hand, companies that enable gray-zone transactions face heightened scrutiny.—
Ilona Limonta-Volkova,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In the face of fierce opposition, Lyles supported bringing the Republican National Convention to Charlotte in 2020 — standing on her commitment to represent the entire city as mayor.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Sep. 2025
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In Paradise Bay, competition is fierce to attract high-end clientele and the standout offering at Maxx Royal is its two-story, 5,750-square-meter spa.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The couple also received a silver photo frame engraved with the joint cypher of Charles and Camilla.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry
Shane Croucher
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
The front license plate to a silver Honda Odyssey was reported either lost or stolen.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The facial expressions match the show’s grim color palette.—
Will Collins,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Now they are being called on by their leader to adapt to a grim reality of military might.—
Ruth Margalit,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Fighting off predators, fending for food, and living in rugged terrain with harsh conditions – this was not a means of living for the weak.—
Aly Walansky,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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Limited access and steep rugged terrain will continue to hamper suppression.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Is this event also a way to make World and the Orb feel more approachable and less intimidating to the public, especially those skeptical of getting their eyes scanned?—
Tanya Benedicto Klich,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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For starters, the Nittany Lions play their home games at Beaver Stadium, which can be an intimidating place with seating for 106,572 fans.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steely. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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