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
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
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
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Several testers found the monk fruit or allulose sweeteners (depending on flavor) tipped the drinks in a harshly herbal or saccharine direction, and found the high from the Uplifting Watermelon Lime flavor to be jarringly strong.—
Chala June,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
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Tagovailoa was harshly criticized for his comments and later apologized, with many questioning the signal-caller's leadership capabilities.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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In a separate case, Jake entered a guilty plea to a charge of willful neglect of a child just two years ago after severely abusing his 10-week-old daughter.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
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To the south, Mexico’s GDP contracted in the third quarter, sparking fears of a recession, as the industrial sector, ranging from mining to construction to manufacturing, has been severely impacted by trade tensions.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Adverb
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The second planet from the sun has a completely inhospitable surface, with temperatures reaching 863 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius) and a crushing pressure underneath an oppressively thick atmosphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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On an oppressively hot Friday in July, plumes of smoke curl up from Arnolds Field.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sternly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sternly. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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