Definition of stern
- stern necessity
He gave me a stern look.
the army post's stern commander always had the utmost respect of those who served under him
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stern.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use: before 12th century
in the meaning defined at sense 1a
See Words from the same yearaustere, dour, fierce, flinty, forbidding, grim, gruff, intimidating, lowering (also louring), rough, rugged, severe, stark, steely, ungentle;
bland, meek, mellow, soft, soothing;
agreeable, bright, cheerful, inviting, pleasant, pleasing, sweet;
glad, happy, lighthearted, merry, mirthful, sunny;
featherbrained, flighty, frivolous, giddy, goofy, harebrained, light-headed, playful, scatterbrained, silly;
bleak, cold, hostile, inhospitable, inimical, unfriendly, unsympathetic;
adamant, bound, determined, firm, intent, purposeful, resolute, resolved, steadfast, unflinching;
fixed, hard, hardened, hardheaded, immovable, implacable, inflexible, ironhanded, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, rigid, self-willed, set, stiff, stubborn, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, willful (or wilful);
black, cheerless, dark, gloomy, glum, joyless, melancholic, moody, morose, sulky, sullen, surly;
brooding, grave, humorless, melancholy, serious, sober, sobersided, solemn, somber (or sombre), staid, unsmiling;
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stern.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
: very serious especially in an unfriendly way
: expressing strong disapproval or criticism
: not likely to change or become weaker
See words that rhyme with stern Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stern Spanish Central: Translation of stern Nglish: Translation of stern for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of stern for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stern
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