1
as in strict
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
the army post's stern commander always had the utmost respect of those who served under him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
a stern receptionist took our names without even looking up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stern
Martin Suarez, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
The trolling motor itself relies on an industry-standard four-point mounting system to secure onto the stern of a variety of available kayak models.
—New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2025
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
That led Judge Cannon to temporarily halt the proceedings and issue Routh a stern warning.
—Greg Allen, NPR, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stern
Adjective
The swells rocked the boat violently, sent wave after wave over the stern, threw us sideways, and nearly tossed all of us into the ocean again and again.
—Martin Suarez, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
The trolling motor itself relies on an industry-standard four-point mounting system to secure onto the stern of a variety of available kayak models.
—New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
Governed by Saturn, this Earth sign is known for its ruthless ambition and long-term visions, making this lunar phase all the more stern and no-nonsense.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
That led Judge Cannon to temporarily halt the proceedings and issue Routh a stern warning.
—Greg Allen, NPR, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stern
Adjective
-
The therapy will debut at Relive Health’s Stuart, Florida location, thanks to recent updates in Florida’s regulatory framework allowing advanced stem cell treatments under strict medical oversight.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The weddings are planned by celebrity event stylist Slomique Hawrylo and adhere to a strict budget.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This pays off to some extent because Day-Lewis is such a mesmerizing presence, Ray’s gruff manner and terse communications hinting at dark mysteries to be revealed.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Then the built‑in router beams Wi‑Fi around the camp.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Wood beams, terracotta floors, and antique furniture run through every property for a healthy dose of design inspiration.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The triumphant narrative began to fray when exceedingly harsh lockdown measures could no longer contain the spread of the virus, and the staggering human cost in the name of protecting lives defied all logic.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
-
There are no easy fixes, so figuring out how to cushion the harsh impact will be the basis of negotiations with other parties in the Japanese legislature, the Diet.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As Auberge continues expanding into urban markets and deepening its European presence, the challenge will be maintaining that fierce independence at scale.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Rescuers are struggling to reach at least 200 hikers trapped in a Mount Everest valley by an unexpectedly fierce weekend snowstorm that pounded the mountain with snow and heavy rain, according to Chinese state media CCTV.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The developments led Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s socialist and authoritarian leader, to threaten to declare a state of emergency earlier this week.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The book is a policy handbook meant to address the realities of political life following the turmoil of the French Revolution, presenting a Christian alternative to both the authoritarian secular liberalism and counterrevolutionary movements of the day.—
Indianapolis Star,
IndyStar,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
At the core of the GOP’s shutdown argument is painting a grim picture of any non-citizen receiving any government benefit.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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In her usual soft-spoken British accent, she was known for balancing the grim realities of the climate crisis with a sincere message of hope for the future.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Lammens was perhaps fortunate to escape sanction then (Stuart Atwell booked the forward for diving), but this was a valuable occasion ahead of tougher tests, beginning at Anfield.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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There will be some tough picking in there, but typically the predicting business gets a little easier in region play.—
Tyler Palmateer,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stern. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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