Meaning & use
flinty eyes
Last updated
UK/ˈflɪnti aɪz/
US/ˈflɪnti aɪz/
Meaning
phrasepluralliterary
A look that is hard, cold and shows no emotion or sympathy.
Grammar: Always plural because 'eyes' is plural; use 'a flinty eye' for one eye or the expression.
Patterns
- someone's flinty eyes
- with flinty eyes
She stared at him with flinty eyes, refusing to show any weakness.
His flinty eyes revealed nothing about what he was thinking.
Common combinations
- flinty eyes stared
- Her flinty eyes stared straight through me.
- flinty eyes narrowed
- His flinty eyes narrowed as he listened to the excuse.
- with flinty eyes
- The judge looked down with flinty eyes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hard eyes
- More common and less literary; it can also suggest anger rather than coldness.
- cold eyes
- Focuses on lack of warmth or friendliness, while 'flinty' suggests a tough, unyielding quality.
Opposites
warm eyessoft eyes
Word family
- flint noun
- A very hard gray stone that produces sparks when struck.
- flintily adverb
- In a hard, unfeeling way.
- flintiness noun
- The quality of being hard and unyielding.
Commonly confused: flinty eyes or flinty?
flinty eyes vs flinty
This is the adjective meaning 'hard like flint'; 'flinty eyes' is a phrase using it.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'flinty eyes' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Flinty eyes' describes a hard, cold, unemotional look, so sentence B fits. The others suggest warmth or softness, which contradicts the meaning.
Make it your own
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