sternly

[ sturn-lee ]
See synonyms for sternly on Thesaurus.com
adverb
  1. in a firm, strict, or austere way:Unless the government sternly cracks down on the underground economy, citizens will never pay their taxes diligently.

  2. in a harsh, severe, or grim way:Any baker caught mixing sawdust with bread or butcher selling horse meat as beef was immediately and sternly punished.

Origin of sternly

1
First recorded before 1000; stern1 + -ly

Words Nearby sternly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sternly in a sentence