Synonyms
Examples of stern in a Sentence
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024
The punishments ranged from six players banned from baseball for life to stern warnings for others.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Lesbian women are shown with nose rings and stern expressions.
—Reece Rogers, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
Legendary actress Robin Givens will portray Jaqueline, Eva’s stern mother.
—Rivea Ruff, Essence, 28 Mar. 2024
But Parker, looking stern as tears streamed down his cheeks, walked out of the courtroom with his aunt.
—Emma Tucker, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024
Dickinson finds relief from a stifling family life under her father’s stern order in her intellectually fulfilling friendship with a woman in her circle (Catherine Bailey)—and, especially, in her poetry, which met with opposition both at home and in the wider world.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024
Johnny Flynn plays Winton five decades earlier, a stern and quiet man, the son of German Jewish immigrants who converted to Christianity and changed their last name in order to assimilate in England.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Juventus’s decision to appoint Fabio Capello — his mien, even then, that of a stern immortal hewn from basalt — appeared a safe bet, but many of the others were not.
—Rory Smith, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
After two hours, the ship’s stern slipped below the surface and sank.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
In 2016, the Dali struck a loading pier made of stone while leaving port in Antwerp, causing damage to the ship’s stern, according to VesselFinder.com, a site that tracks ships across the world.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024
Satellite imagery seems to reveal scorch marks on her stern.
—David Axe, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
The ship is also intimate enough that everybody can gather easily for meals — or a swim off the stern — without fighting the crowds common on larger vessels.
—Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2024
Steps away is the 18.7-foot-long resistance pool on the foredeck, along with a Jacuzzi at the stern.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2024
The onboard marina, which is open in favorable weather conditions, offers watersports and swimming off the stern of the ship.
—Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2024
Starting at the stern, the beach club features a lounge with a convertible gym, a relaxation area with a sauna and massage room, an exquisite outdoor swimming pool, and folding hull platforms that open to create waterside lounges.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stern.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Adjective
Middle English sterne, from Old English styrne; akin to Old English starian to stare — more at stare
Noun
Middle English, rudder, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse stjōrn steering, rudder; akin to Old English stīeran to steer — more at steer
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing stern
Dictionary Entries Near stern
Cite this Entry
“Stern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stern. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
stern
1 of 2 adjectivestern
2 of 2 noun
Biographical Definition
Stern
2 of 2biographical name (2)
More from Merriam-Webster on stern
Nglish: Translation of stern for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of stern for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stern
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