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
Yet behind his sternness lived a man of reflection and sensitivity, whose words and verses hinted at a gentleness rarely shown.
—
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sternness
severity
Noun
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This significant reduction in impact speed and severity is a demonstration of the material safety benefit of the Waymo Driver.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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The migrant boat capsized and sank due to the severity of the impact, causing all passengers on board to fall into the sea a few miles off the coast of Turkey, the statement said.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sternness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sternness. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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