Steely-eyed

//ˈstiːliˌaɪd// adj

adj ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Having a hard, strong, and determined look about oneself. idiomatic
  2. 2
    Having a hard, strong, and determined mentality or mindset. idiomatic

    "Her steely-eyed control of emotion has become such a reliable source of strength and enjoyment in the last two seasons, it's genuinely moving to see her defenses fall in the face of long-lost friends and family."

Example

More examples

"Her steely-eyed control of emotion has become such a reliable source of strength and enjoyment in the last two seasons, it's genuinely moving to see her defenses fall in the face of long-lost friends and family."

Etymology

From steely + eyed.

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.