What does stern mean?
Word: Stern
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Stern means serious and strict, the way someone looks or speaks when they expect to be obeyed.
Synonyms: strict, severe, harsh
Antonyms: kind, lenient
How do you spell stern?
Syllables: stern
Tricky part: When you add ness, keep both n's: the n of stern meets the n of ness in sternness.
Watch out for: sterness, sternes
Memory tip: Stern ends in n and ness starts with n, so sternness needs two of them side by side.
Idioms and Phrases
- from stem to stern: From one end to the other; completely. Example: "The sailors cleaned the boat from stem to stern."
Stern in a sentence
Example 1: The principal gave us a stern look when we came in late.
Example 2: My grandmother can be stern, but she always listens.
Example 3: A stern voice on the speaker asked everyone to stay calm.
Fun Fact
The stern of a ship is a different word that only looks the same: it probably comes from an Old Norse word for steering, while the strict stern goes back to Old English.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word: stern
a) silent
b) solemn
c) proud
d) gentle
Show answer
d) gentle. Gentle is soft and kind, the reverse of stern; a stern person may well be solemn or silent.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letter to form a word:
st_rn
a) i
b) e
c) u
d) a
Show answer
b) e. Stern writes its ur sound with er, as fern and term do.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) rigourous
b) disiplined
c) stern
d) obediant
Show answer
c) stern. Obedient, disciplined and rigorous are the correct forms, so stern is the only word spelt right.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What part of a ship is called the stern?
a) the top
b) the back
c) the bottom
d) the front
Show answer
b) the back
2. A librarian gives a group of children a stern look. Why might she do this?
a) They were talking loudly in the reading room.
b) They thanked her for her help.
c) They were reading quietly in a corner.
d) They returned their books on time.
Show answer
a) They were talking loudly in the reading room.
