as in severity
the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)
the company's new president has a reputation for granitelike sternness and monkish austerity
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Recent Examples of sternness
Saura had a large sense of the humor, which struck those who got to know him, belying the sternness of his public visage with his playful banter and frequent chuckle.
—
John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026
John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sternness
severity
Noun
-
Allegedly, Buckingham Palace leaned on the press to downplay the severity of the king’s illness last year, which paints a picture of a monarch who’s much sicker than people want to believe.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
3 June 2026
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The severity of the victim's injuries was not yet known.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sternness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sternness. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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