Definitions

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.

Mark Joseph Stern: It’s odd, because the federal statute in question literally mirrors the language of the 14th Amendment.

From Slate • Jun. 30, 2026

Joost van Dreunen, a professor of games business at NYU Stern said the pricing was a "clever strategy" by Rockstar and its parent company Take-Two.

From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026

It’s important to note that the hardcore World Cup fans don’t represent the average European traveler, according to Joseph Foudy, a professor of economics at New York University’s Stern School of Business.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026

In this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode of Amicus, co-hosts Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discussed the ruling, FS Credit v.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

Stern now was Éomer’s mood, and his mind clear again.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Vocabulary lists containing stern

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