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
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.
Freeman’s the straight man here and her performance combines both quiet influence and steely strength. Carole Horst, Variety, 1 June 2025 Yet underpinning their friendship is a steely competitiveness. Gregg Evans, New York Times, 30 May 2025 Prom Queen' changes the game What's a better day: being on a submarine with a bunch of steely sailors or leading a marching band in an office space? Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 May 2025 The call that eventually came with the Carolina Panthers — the team his legacy is so closely intertwined? Muhsin was neither steely nor composed, according to his smiling son. Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 10 May 2025 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 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

steely

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

More from Merriam-Webster on steely

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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