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• stern
  stern

  adjective

  firm, strict, or uncompromising.
• Stern
  Stern

  noun

  Isaac, 1920–2001, U.S. violinist, born in Russia.
• stern-
  stern-

  variant of sterno- before a vowel.

stern

¹ American  

[sturn] / stɜrn /

adjective

sterner, comparative sternest superlative

1. firm, strict, or uncompromising.

   stern discipline.

   Synonyms:

   unfeeling, cruel, unsympathetic, unrelenting, adamant

   Antonyms:

   lenient

2. hard, harsh, or severe.

   a stern reprimand.

   Synonyms:

   unfeeling, cruel, unsympathetic, unrelenting, adamant

3. rigorous or austere; of an unpleasantly serious character.

   stern times.

4. grim or forbidding in aspect.

   a stern face.

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stern ² American  

[sturn] / stɜrn /

noun

sterns plural

1. the after or rear part of a vessel (often opposed to bow orstem ).

   The ship's stern was a glory of brightly painted carved figures of knights and mythical beasts.

2. the back or rear of anything.

3. Astronomy. Stern, the constellation Puppis.

4. Fox Hunting. the tail of a hound.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to be the person paddling, steering, working, etc., at the rear of (a vessel).

   When you're bird-watching, it's much better to be paddling up front than sterning the canoe.

2. to propel or steer (a vessel) with the after or rear part leading.

   We pulled up to the dock 15 minutes later and managed to stern in before dark.

Stern ³ American  

[sturn] / stɜrn /

noun

1. Isaac, 1920–2001, U.S. violinist, born in Russia.

2. Otto, 1888–1969, U.S. physicist, born in Germany: Nobel Prize 1943.

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stern- ⁴ American  

1. variant of sterno- before a vowel.

   sternite.

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stern ¹ British  

/ stɜːn /

adjective

1. showing uncompromising or inflexible resolve; firm, strict, or authoritarian

2. lacking leniency or clemency; harsh or severe

3. relentless; unyielding

   the stern demands of parenthood

4. having an austere or forbidding appearance or nature

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stern ² British  

/ stɜːn /

noun

1. the rear or after part of a vessel, opposite the bow or stem

2. the rear part of any object

3. the tail of certain breeds of dog, such as the foxhound or beagle

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adjective

1. relating to or located at the stern

Stern ³ British  

/ stɜːn /

noun

1. Isaac. 1920–2001, US concert violinist, born in (what is now) Ukraine

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stern Idioms  

1. see from soup to nuts (stem to stern).

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Synonym Usage

Stern, severe, harsh agree in referring to methods, aspects, manners, or facial expressions. Stern implies uncompromising, inflexible firmness, and sometimes a hard, forbidding, or withdrawn aspect or nature: a stern parent. Severe implies strictness, lack of sympathy, and a tendency to impose a hard discipline on others: a severe judge. Harsh suggests a great severity and roughness, and cruel, unfeeling treatment of others: a harsh critic.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sternness
  noun
• sternly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sterns
  plural

Adjectives

• sterner
  comparative
• sternest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of stern¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English styrne

Origin of stern²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sterne, probably from Old Norse stjōrn “steering” ( see sternpost)

Explanation

You know when you've done something really wrong, and the person who gets you in trouble has that unforgiving look on his face? The best word for that look is stern, meaning "strict" or "severe." Stern, strict, severe, harsh, unforgiving — they all more or less mean the same thing, which is very tough and exacting, with a little helping of seriousness thrown in for good measure. What does this have to do with the stern of a boat, also known as the rear area? Um, nothing? But it's good to know about that meaning too, since it could come in handy some day when you're giving directions on a ship.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stern Stern stern- sterns sterner sternest

Despite his low key style, he proved capable of delivering stern warnings to the UK's enemies.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Thanks to her technical prowess, VanderMeer took the stroke seat, the rower in the stern who sets the rhythm.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

"Let this be a stern warning to criminals across the world, that South Africa is not a hide-out for fugitives," said Mathe, speaking to reporters.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

“That stern mom voice, that’s the one you use.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

That was my mom’s dad, the stern governor who would never have taken us.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

Stern: I find it striking that these petitions are often really short and straightforward and anyone can read and understand them.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

Stern: Public action here does not replace the legal arguments.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

In 1948, they sold it to Elise Stern Haas, a Levi Strauss heiress.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

Using data from the New York University Stern School of Business going back to 1928, I found that the median real return on the regular 10-year U.S.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

Stern and officious, the admiral scowled down at each Incorrigible.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

In a few days I presented myself to a tall, stern- visaged man, who was slowly pacing the leeward side of the quarter- deck.

From The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Tales With Condensed Novels, Spanish and American Legends, and Earlier Papers by Harte, Bret

Upon closer approach the river shore was seen to be lined with scows and rowboats; a stern- wheeled river steamer lay moored abreast of the town.

From The Winds of Chance by Beach, Rex Ellingwood

As near as I can tell, she has not got no wheel at all, side- or stern-.

From J. Poindexter, Colored by Cobb, Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury)

"Forty, I should say — very handsome — rather stern- looking — and rich."

From Far from the Madding Crowd by Hardy, Thomas

The men laid the fault on the stern- looking husband; the women, on the minx of a wife.

From Paul Clifford — Volume 06 by Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

Navy said Revolutionary Guard vessels repeatedly crossed the bows and sterns of several American ships at close range and high speed in the northern Gulf.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 22, 2020

With the sterns half-ashore, breakers could then cut in and dismantle the ships laterally, as a snacker might eat through a baguette.

From The Guardian ● May 2, 2017

Thousands of office workers rush past it every day without noticing its three bay windows carved as the sterns of baroque frigates, complete with waves, dolphins and trailing seaweed.

From New York Times ● Feb. 27, 2015

Bows and sterns of destroyers, weighing 30-40 tons apiece, were assembled in mammoth shops ashore, rolled out, lifted by giant cranes on to the ways.

From Time Magazine Archive

Young men in uniforms stood ready there to grab hold of the sterns of the boats when they arrived for the start.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Fireworks can frighten animals and send them scattering, but Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets apparently are made of sterner stuff.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

Much sterner tests lie ahead for Rosenior, starting with a visit from Premier League leaders Arsenal in the League Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday.

From Barron's ● Jan. 10, 2026

Both of O'Neill's Premiership matches have been at home and sterner tests than Falkirk and Kilmarnock await.

From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2025

But it remains to be seen whether this president and the country he leads are ready for the sterner tests to come.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025

They were both silent, but the Professor started and quivered; his face, however, grew grimmer and sterner still.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

It was probably the sternest test the Americans have faced in the tournament.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

The blockage in the Persian Gulf poses the sternest test the reserves have ever faced.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026

PSG come into the sternest test yet of their European title defence top of the French Ligue 1 and with three wins from three so far in the league phase.

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2025

In death penalty cases, the legal system is put to its sternest test.

From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2025

He answered me in a way that I did not understand, but with the sternest look that his face could wear:—

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Related Words

• flinty
• grim
• hard-nosed
• harsh
• rigid
• steely
• strict
• tough