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
Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong and the nation’s top offense on the road against the steely reigning champions.
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
For a time, my mom and aunt’s tastes led me to believe that the best of the genre featured hyper-competent, successful, somewhat steely women, like FBI agent Gracie Hart or environmental lawyer Lucy Kelson, being slowly broken down by the promise of true and lasting love.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 7 Feb. 2025
President Donald Trump similarly made waves for his official headshot earlier this month — his steely glare, immortalized by his chief photographer Daniel Torok, was a far cry from the ear-to-grin captured in 2017.
—Leah Dolan, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
Thatcher gets to explore a few different directions for Iris over the course of Companion, including numbing dullness, canny super-expertise, and steely aggression on par with the Terminator.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
For a time, my mom and aunt’s tastes led me to believe that the best of the genre featured hyper-competent, successful, somewhat steely women, like FBI agent Gracie Hart or environmental lawyer Lucy Kelson, being slowly broken down by the promise of true and lasting love.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 7 Feb. 2025
President Donald Trump similarly made waves for his official headshot earlier this month — his steely glare, immortalized by his chief photographer Daniel Torok, was a far cry from the ear-to-grin captured in 2017.
—Leah Dolan, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
Thatcher gets to explore a few different directions for Iris over the course of Companion, including numbing dullness, canny super-expertise, and steely aggression on par with the Terminator.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for steely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steely
Adjective
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Ashanti’s lithe voice perfectly complimented Ja’s gruff vocal tone, providing Murder Inc.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2025
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The gruff men are Danny and Kyle McCray, an estranged father and son who’ve been reunited by a medical emergency.—
Elisabeth Egan,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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A couple driving on Evansville Avenue in Meriden around 11 a.m. on Saturday reportedly spotted something grey in a pile of snow just past the Markham Airport on the north side of the road next to the large field of solar panels.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2025
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On Dishwasher-Safe Items There are obvious no-nos, such as electronic kitchen gear, but Bovard says that there are other products that have grey areas.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Once again, her stern words earned tepid applause from a crowd that honestly just wanted to go two hours without thinking about humanity's downward trajectory into civil, moral, and environmental oblivion.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
24 Feb. 2025
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But Sunday’s election could mark its sternest test yet.—
Mark Sappenfield,
The Christian Science Monitor,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The snowboarder was last seen wearing an orange ski suit with blue accents on the top and a gray helmet, according to the post.—
Graeme Taskerud,
The Denver Post,
19 Feb. 2025
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Rocky opted for a pinstripe look by Saint Laurent, and Rihanna wore a gray blazer atop a striped dress shirt and wide-leg pants.—
Robyn Merrett,
StyleCaster,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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After the goalless draw in one of soccer’s fiercest rivalries, the Portuguese manager was yet again outspoken in his press conference.—
Ben Church,
CNN,
25 Feb. 2025
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The game between the fierce rivals was halted after 52 minutes due to fans throwing flares onto the pitch.—
Adam Crafton,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Treasures include antique oil paintings on old easels, silver teapots, bookcases, four-post beds, Persian rugs, fainting sofas, rattan porch chairs, and a smattering of estate accessories, from jewelry to furs, hats to small accouterments.—
Jenny Adams,
Southern Living,
27 Feb. 2025
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The silver beaded detailing on her frock was striking.—
Robyn Mowatt,
Essence,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In recent months, Israel has brightened a grim geopolitical landscape by battering Iran and its proxies.—
HAL BRANDS,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
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The grim anniversary comes with Ukraine facing great uncertainty about its future after President Donald Trump pivoted toward Russia and US officials insisted that Europe can no longer rely on Washington for its defense.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Initially worn by construction workers, Timberlands, as they became known, soon transcended their rugged origins and were embraced, beginning in the late ’70s, by everyone from the Milanese jet set to British ravers.—
Kin Woo,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
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But Coulibaly discovered that Smart had earned his reputation as one of the most rugged point-of-attack defenders in recent league history.—
Josh Robbins,
The Athletic,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Steely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steely. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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