Standard Lemma guide

sternly

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: stûrnʹlē
  • General-American: /ˈstɝnli/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈstɜːnli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S T ER1 N L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a stern manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

with sternness; in a severe manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • `No,' she said sternly
  • peered severely over her glasses

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: severely

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English sternly, sternely, sterneliche, sturnely, sturneliche, from Old English stirnlīċe, styrnlīċe, stiernlīċe (“harshly; severely; sternly”), equivalent to stern + -ly.