steelier; steeliest
1
: resembling or suggesting steel (as in hardness, color, strength, or coldness)
steely determination
steely blue
2
: made of steel
steeliness
noun
Synonyms
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
Beneath the surface of wide-eyed smiles and laughs lies a steely resolve.
—
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Aug. 2024
For their part, U.S. officials must impress on Beijing the United States’ patience and steely resolve in supporting the Ukrainian war effort.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 26 Apr. 2023
Both the deceptively doe-eyed young woman with a steely spirit and the macho muralist of grand ambition are hitching their artistic wagons to modern interpretations of distinctly Mexican tradition and style.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2024
Its lead character, Agent Lee Harker (played by Maika Monroe), is a steely and sensible young fed, formed in the Clarice Starling mold.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 11 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for steely 
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Aug. 2024
For their part, U.S. officials must impress on Beijing the United States’ patience and steely resolve in supporting the Ukrainian war effort.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 26 Apr. 2023
Both the deceptively doe-eyed young woman with a steely spirit and the macho muralist of grand ambition are hitching their artistic wagons to modern interpretations of distinctly Mexican tradition and style.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2024
Its lead character, Agent Lee Harker (played by Maika Monroe), is a steely and sensible young fed, formed in the Clarice Starling mold.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 11 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for steely
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'steely.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near steely
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steely. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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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