Sternness

noun

noun ·2 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The state or quality of being stern. uncountable

    "There was the sternness of an old-fashioned Tour patron in his rebuke to the young Frenchman Pierre Rolland, the only one to ride away from the peloton and seize the opportunity for a lone attack before being absorbed back into the bunch, where he was received with coolness."

  2. 2
    uncompromising resolution wordnet
  3. 3
    The result or product of being stern. countable
  4. 4
    the quality (as of scenery) being grim and gloomy and forbidding wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
astringencyausteritydisciplinehardnessharshnessinclemency

Example

More examples

"His eyes redeem his face from sternness."

Etymology

From stern + -ness.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.