sternness

Examples

• All

• Her voice had lost its sternness and its power.

  Fiction book (2000)

• I have been thinking about how this sternness and liberty go together.

  Blog text (6)

• But what makes the poem memorable is the sternness and liberty of the language.

  Blog text (6)

• They were met with cold sternness and demands.

• He put just enough sternness in his voice that Qing-jao left without further questions.

  Fiction book (1992)

• A certain sternness of character and the undeniable pleasure of indulging your own particular tastes.

  Blog text (16)

• Habitual sternness had withdrawn from the tense lines of her face, leaving her lips parted and dry.

  Fiction book (1990)

• Elaida was a handsome woman rather than beautiful, and the sternness on her face added maturity to her ageless Aes Sedai features.

  Fiction book (1991)

• The teacher's sternness made the students surprisingly attentive in class.

• His sternness was evident when he refused to compromise on the rules.

Synonyms

S

severity

vssternness

11 6.4

Being very strict and harsh when judging or punishing people

covers firm uncompromising behavior more broadly than punishment alone

R

rigidity

vssternness

7 7.0

Very strict and unwilling to change rules or plans

is similar but highlights a severe, uncompromising style rather than just inflexibility

H

harshness

vssternness

6 4.1

Very severe or unkind treatment that causes harm

is strict and uncompromising but not necessarily cruel or hurtful

R

rigor

vssternness

• Formal

4 7.2

The quality of being very strict in rules or discipline that allows little freedom

is about a firm uncompromising attitude rather than only rule use

H

hardness

vssternness

4 6.3

Lack of feeling or kindness in someone's behavior

is closer in strictness but less focused on emotional coldness

S

strictness

vssternness

3 3.4

Being very firm about rules and making people follow them

is broader, stressing an uncompromising tone in attitude or manner

S

stiffness

vssternness

1 5.3

A strict way of acting or thinking that does not change

is harsher, stressing uncompromising severity rather than mere formality

R

roughness

vssternness

1 3.9

A harsh quality in a voice or behavior that feels severe

is about firm uncompromising attitude rather than rough manner alone

U

ungentleness

vssternness

1 8.2

A harsh, unkind way of speaking or acting

is more about strict, uncompromising severity than simply being ungentle

R

rigourousness

vssternness

• UK

7.9

Being very strict about rules and making people follow them

is similarly strict but emphasizes overall manner rather than procedure

R

rigorousness

vssternness

7.5

Being very strict and careful about rules or details

is severe too but focuses on attitude and appearance as well

U

unyieldingness

vssternness

8.1

A refusal to change an opinion or action despite pressure

is more about severe, uncompromising tone than mere firmness

Antonyms

L

leniency

26 4.6

Not being strict when judging or punishing someone

G

gentleness

19 1.3

A kind, calm way of treating people or animals

How Stern

severity

11 6.4

harshness

6 4.1

sternness

1 5.1

strictness

3 3.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology