sternly

stern·ly
S1T1E1R1N1L1Y4
US/ˈstɝnli/UK/ˈstɜːnli/

adverb

In a stern manner.

Similar
severely
OriginMiddle English sternly ← Old English stirnlīċe →
Less commonScrabble 10
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Meanings

adverbsternly (comparative more sternly or (rare, poetic) sternlier, superlative most sternly or (rare, poetic) sternliest)

comparative more sternly · comparative poetic rare sternlier · superlative most sternly · poetic rare superlative sternliest

  1. In a stern manner.

    It was a historic night at Wembley Stadium that saw the European champions sternly tested by Copa America winners Brazil, but ended with the familiar sight of captain Leah Williamson lifting a trophy.

    2023 April 6, Emma Sanders, “Women's Finalissima:England beat Brazil in dramatic shhotout”, in BBC Sport

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbwith sternness; in a severe manner

Similar
severely
Also see
severely

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Old Englishstirnlīċe
  2. Middle Englishsternly
  3. Englishsternly

From Middle English sternly, sternely, sterneliche, sturnely, sturneliche, from Old English stirnlīċe, styrnlīċe, stiernlīċe (“harshly; severely; sternly”), equivalent to stern + -ly.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

sternly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sternly

MLA

“sternly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sternly. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sternly,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sternly.

Source: sternly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.