Meanings
nounsternness (countable and uncountable, plural sternnesses)
plural sternnesses
- uncountableThe state or quality of being stern.
There was the sternness of an old-fashioned Tour patron in his rebuke to the young Frenchman Pierre Rolland, the only one to ride away from the peloton and seize the opportunity for a lone attack before being absorbed back into the bunch, where he was received with coolness.
2012 July 15, Richard Williams, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track, Guardian Unlimited - countableThe result or product of being stern.
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
German Strenge, Härte
- Strengestate or quality of being stern
- Härtestate or quality of being stern
- Ernststate or quality of being stern
- Strengheitstate or quality of being stern
- Gestrengigkeitstate or quality of being stern
Cite this entry
APA
sternness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sternness
MLA
“sternness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sternness. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sternness,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sternness.
Source: sternness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.