STERNLY Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

sternly

adverb

Definition of sternly

as in harshly

in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering sternly reprimanded the prosecuting attorney for making comments that never should have been heard by the jury

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of sternly Colombia manager Hernan Dario Gomez had sternly instructed Sanchez to play clean and to avoid a potential red card. — Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 7 July 2026 That church, by the way, is of the sternly Evangelical variety, and the Gheorghius take it very seriously indeed. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 18 May 2026 Did DeSantis call Uthmeier on the carpet and sternly instruct him to follow the law? — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026 After sternly addressing the company executives who put the city through a year-long court battle, the Leavenworth Planning Commission on Monday evening voted 5-1 to recommend granting CoreCivic’s zoning application to operate for at least three years. — Matthew Kelly february 3, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026 The lawsuit comes days after Austin voters sternly rejected a 20% property tax increase as the city struggles to overcome a budget deficit. — Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 6 Nov. 2025 This folly—which Iran has sternly warned against—is immoral, unjustified, and unlawful. — Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025 Sulmona gave the Catholic world a pope, Innocent VII in the 15th century, but Piazza XX Settembre is the location of Sulmona’s foremost historical figure, the greatest of all Roman poets, Ovid, whose bronze statue stands sternly atop a pedestal. — John Mariani, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sternly

Adverb

And then, the organization's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, harshly came out against the plan, releasing a statement to the Associated Press, saying FIFA's staff had been blindsided by it.

— Rafael Nam, NPR, 31 July 2026
Like other senior bankers, Sehnaoui was harshly criticized following Lebanon's historic economic meltdown in 2019, when most people lost access to their money.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026

Definition of harshly

Adverb

Silica particles cause lungs to fight back with fibrotic tissue that builds and builds, severely inhibiting the ability to breathe.

— Howard Berkes, NPR, 5 Aug. 2026
This kind of telescope is ideal for solar work, being a good size aperture to reveal fine detail, but not so large as to be severely affected by daytime atmospheric turbulence.

— Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of severely

Adverb

Survey respondents said their dwellings stayed oppressively hot even at night because overcrowding and poor construction trapped the heat.

— Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 24 July 2026
Jackie searches for Madi, wondering if her sister is a victim or a killer while maneuvering an oppressively demanding office and reflecting on her own previous crimes.

— Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026