sternly
Americanadverb
-
in a firm, strict, or austere way.
Unless the government sternly cracks down on the underground economy, citizens will never pay their taxes diligently.
-
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.
Etymology
Origin of sternly
First recorded before 1000; stern 1 ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Faithful ally Eric Nam sternly points out to him that his rants are throwing off everyone else’s game.
From Salon • Jan. 15, 2026
Others—including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has taken great pains to avoid confrontations with the sensitive American president—warned Trump very sternly not to make serious moves on Greenland.
From Slate • Jan. 8, 2026
“Guests not dressed for the occasion will be asked to make adjustments before entry,” we are sternly admonished.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, sat sternly throughout the start of the meeting before echoing Merz’s call.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2025
And she looked around sternly, and Sister Price nodded.
From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
