stern

[sturn] / stɜrn /

ADJECTIVE

serious, authoritarian

Synonyms

STRONGEST

flinty grim hard-nosed harsh rigid steely strict tough

STRONG

ascetic astringent bitter forbidding rough

WEAK

austere bullheaded by the book cruel disciplinary dyed-in-the-wool frowning hang-tough hard hard-boiled hard-core hard-line hard-shell hardheaded implacable inexorable inflexible mortified mulish relentless rigorous severe stiff-necked stubborn unrelenting unsparing unyielding

Antonyms

STRONGEST

easy flexible gentle kind lenient nice soft yielding

STRONG

bland mild

WEAK

cheerful funny light smiling tolerant

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.

History serves as a stern reminder that key straits have always been used for leverage.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

While stern with the lawyers, Gonzalez Rogers was friendly with the jurors.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

As she handed over the decks to DJ Shaw, Landry’s stern visage eased into a blissful smile.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

"Bolivia will provide us with a feel for South American opposition, and will no doubt give us a stern test as they recover from the disappointment of defeat in the World Cup play-offs."

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

I found Lev in the storage room, overseeing a delivery of linen tachrichim with the same stern solemnity he displayed when tending to corpses.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Vocabulary lists containing stern

Words Every Pirate Should Know

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

List 6

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!