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
That semi-fanciful film was a deadpan spin on the ingrained misogyny that conveniently tags a steely, orphaned 9-year-old village girl as a sorceress.
—
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
Pattinson manages a fine and witty character delineation between good-hearted, passive #17 and steely, brutal #18.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025
The actor’s layered performance, teetering between sweet and steely, heartbroken and heartbreaking, is a highlight of the film that could have relied on its razzle-dazzle to carry it.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 1 Feb. 2025
Brad Pitt, 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' (2020)
In Quentin Tarantino’s alt-history fable, Pitt plays a steely stunt double equally adept at fixing TV antennas or dealing with the Manson Family, all with a grin on his weathered face.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
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Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
Pattinson manages a fine and witty character delineation between good-hearted, passive #17 and steely, brutal #18.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025
The actor’s layered performance, teetering between sweet and steely, heartbroken and heartbreaking, is a highlight of the film that could have relied on its razzle-dazzle to carry it.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 1 Feb. 2025
Brad Pitt, 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' (2020)
In Quentin Tarantino’s alt-history fable, Pitt plays a steely stunt double equally adept at fixing TV antennas or dealing with the Manson Family, all with a grin on his weathered face.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steely. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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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