Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
steely-eyed

steely-eyed

2 7.7
Having a firm, determined look in the eyes
  • adjective
  • /ˈstiːli aɪd/
translation icon : mirada firme
  • Despite the chaos around him, he remained steely-eyed, focused on his goal without any signs of wavering.
  • looks steely-eyed
  • steely-eyed man

And they're moving forward steely eyed and stable and upright.

Examples

  • This is a particularly steely-eyed crowd of astute and learned liberals you're dealing with.

    Blog text (15)

  • Delaney imagined steely-eyed little people watching them from the deep shadows.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • And you, sir, are a steely-eyed missile man.

    Apollo 13 (1995)

  • "Steely-eyed, Anna stared at him over her shoulder."

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Wade stands, steely-eyed, and looks at Otis nose to nose. WADE: I told you to do something.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • I should've recognized the steely-eyed gaze of a fellow brother-in-arms.

    Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015)

  • Dwight's wife, a pert, steely-eyed brunette, places a firm hand on his shoulder.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • She brought up the image of Fritz, who was a square-jawed, steely-eyed, stern-faced monument.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The coach gave his team a steely-eyed look, conveying his determination to win the championship.

  • During the negotiation, she maintained a steely-eyed gaze, showing her resolve to achieve a favorable deal.

Synonyms

steely
vssteely-eyed
20 5.5

Being very determined and not showing fear

refers specifically to a hard unyielding look in the eyes
steely-spined
vssteely-eyed
8.1

Being brave and calm under pressure

focuses on a hard unyielding look rather than character backbone
steely-nerved
vssteely-eyed
8.3

Very calm and brave in dangerous or difficult situations

expresses firmness in the eyes rather than inner self control

Antonyms

yielding
4.8

Willing to agree easily and give up their own view

How Determined

steely-eyed
2 7.7
cold-eyed
1 7.6
watchful
37 3.2

Surface Forms

steely-eyed positive
steely-eyed comparative
steely-eyed superlative

Morphology

steely-eyed = steely + eyed (transparent) = steel + eye + y + ed

The phrase is a straightforward compound: 'steely' (like steel = hard) + '-eyed' ('having eyes of a kind'), yielding 'having hard/determined eyes', which is directly inferable.

Etymology

Steely-eyed comes from steel, the hard metal, and the -eyed part meaning 'with eyes', so it paints a picture of someone who seems to have 'steel' in their look, cold and unyielding. That's why a steely-eyed person looks very firm and determined.