steely

[ stee-lee ]

/ ˈsti li /

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See synonyms for steely on Thesaurus.com

adjective, steel·i·er, steel·i·est.

consisting or made of steel.

resembling or suggesting steel, as in color, strength, or hardness.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of steely

First recorded in 1500–10; steel + -y¹

OTHER WORDS FROM steely

steel·i·ness, noun

Words nearby steely

steel trap, steel wool, steelwork, steelworker, steelworks, steely, steelyard, Steen, steenbok, steenbras, steep

How to use steely in a sentence

Much has changed since the 1980s, but the cinematic tale we recently published suggests the steely nerve of Larry Wu-Tai Chin is alive and well among China’s espionage agents.
Revisiting “The Year of the Spy”|by Stephen Engelberg|July 28, 2021|ProPublica
They were staring each other down, steely-eyed, until one of them blinked.
How to Get Anyone to Do Anything (Ep. 463)|Stephen J. Dubner|May 27, 2021|Freakonomics
The neuroscientists describe a scenario in which a brain implant that enables a paralyzed man to control a prosthetic arm suddenly goes haywire because the man feels frustrated, and it attacks an assistant with its steely claws.
Can Machines Control Our Brains?|R. Douglas Fields|May 17, 2021|Quanta Magazine
Elsewhere, she betrays a surprisingly thin skin given her steely demeanor during four decades in the public eye.
Cindy McCain Opens Up — On Her Terms|Philip Elliott|April 27, 2021|Time

McCrory appeared in more than 70 movies and television shows, notably playing the steely Aunt Polly in the crime drama “Peaky Blinders,” which premiered in 2013 and developed a following in the United States after being picked up by Netflix.
Helen McCrory, British actress in ‘Peaky Blinders,’ dies at 52|Harrison Smith|April 16, 2021|Washington Post
Its biggest asset, of course, is the steely Atwell, who never asks you to feel sorry for Carter despite all the sexism around her.
Marvel’s ‘Agent Carter’ Stomps on the Patriarchy|Melissa Leon|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Gone are the wild-eyed revolutionaries in Donetsk and Luhansk, replaced by steely-eyed bureaucrats and seasoned combat veterans.
East Ukraine: Back in the USSR|Jamie Dettmer|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So, people sped by the models less out of puritanical deference to the naked bodies, but to keep up their steely reputations.
Naked on a New York Street—for Art|Emily Shire|September 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With a soft smile and a shrug that belied by his steely eyes, he replied, “Start another.”
Masahiro Tanaka Is the Yankees' $155M Lethal Weapon and Strikeout Machine|Allen Barra|May 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She's a steely ingenue, a fair-faced heroine, a leading lady.
Our Pop Culture Wish List for 2014|Kevin Fallon|December 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The lawyer's steely gaze was sunk in the soft blue depths of hers.
The Opened Shutters|Clara Louise Burnham
His hand flashed out and grasped the other's wrist in a steely grip.
The Judas Valley|Gerald Vance
She plunged into the chilly equinoctial darkness as the clock struck ten, for her fifteen miles' walk under the steely stars.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles|Thomas Hardy
Anger itself could not warm her, for that she was angry was plain only from the steely sparkle in her grey eyes.
There and Back|George MacDonald
It remedies matters when you have some one to fight for you, asserted Ronny, her gray eyes steely with purpose.
Marjorie Dean College Freshman|Pauline Lester