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
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Recent Examples of sternly
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
The aunties who sternly monitor the tables here will take and deliver your order, but please do not expect guidance or friendship.
—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 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
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
18 May 2026
The aunties who sternly monitor the tables here will take and deliver your order, but please do not expect guidance or friendship.
—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 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
-
The difficulty lies in the fact that setting boundaries does not mean exercising authority harshly.
-
But its conditions have been harshly criticized by l awyers, families and human rights groups, who have persistently denounced the mistreatment of detainees since the center opened 11 months ago, during the Atlantic hurricane season.
Adverb
-
The earthquakes severely damaged Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, the principal gateway serving Caracas, complicating the arrival of international aid.
-
Unless the cover is severely damaged, it can often be resecured or even straightened.
Adverb
-
Fortunately, this spell of hot temps will be a generally drier heat — not necessarily oppressively humid like is typical for New England.
-
The first of the four chapters is an oppressively gray-toned, narratively diffuse spy thriller, set amid the mists of what appears to be the Second World War.
Cite this Entry
“Sternly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sternly. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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