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.
What an opportunity getting to play someone who is steely and strong and manipulative and just bad, basically. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024 Like the film itself, Hanks is no-nonsense as a commander who reveals little about himself between barking orders and offering steely words of encouragement to the inexperienced, frightened young men around him. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024 If not, look for Fred Warner to revert into early-season MVP mode as his troublesome ankle and steely mindset recharge over the bye. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 1 Nov. 2024 In this week’s crop of new tunes, Willie Nelson and Ringo Starr issue sterling new songs, once again showcasing their timeless approaches, while Drew Baldridge follows his breakthrough hit with a new track celebrating steely determination and fortitude. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near steely

Cite this Entry

“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steely. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!