How to Use stern in a Sentence

stern

1 of 2 adjective
  • He gave me a stern look.
  • This side, though, is made of stern stuff.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2026
  • That way, your ideas can land without sounding stern.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
  • But so far, the results haven't lined up with Selig's stern threats.
    — Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 28 May 2026
  • England, which has been patchy so far, poses the sternest test yet for the co-hosts.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 July 2026
  • But Emerald was made of sterner stuff.
    — Robert Moor, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
  • The stern glare that made their puppy have accidents in the house.
    — Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2023
  • Quite often, this is in the corner of the stern, and for good reason.
    — Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2023
  • The chili crunchy stuff with the stern lady on the bottle was the clear winner.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024
  • Judges have to throw the book at those arrested to teach them a stern lesson.
    — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 17 June 2026
  • Is the therapist easy-going or stern?
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
  • In addition, the stern sports a swim platform and a pop-up transom door.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 17 Jan. 2024
  • Made of stern stuff, granite is highly durable and resistant to heat.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
  • Lesbian women are shown with nose rings and stern expressions.
    — Reece Rogers, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
  • However, getting first-team reps has come with a stern warning.
    — James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
  • While the answer has been a stern no since May 14, that's all changing now.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 20 Aug. 2023
  • Marc Skinner’s side will face far sterner challenges.
    — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
  • But precedent is monarchy’s sternest tutor.
    — Rob Shuter, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
  • While the answer has been a stern no since the 14th May, that's all changing now.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 21 Aug. 2023
  • Both are stern, strict, lacking diplomacy.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2026
  • However, Sparano ruled with a stern fist.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
  • But Parker, looking stern as tears streamed down his cheeks, walked out of the courtroom with his aunt.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024
  • Cox, in a pink polo and his classic stern facial expression, first swings at a golf ball.
    — Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 20 Jan. 2023
  • The event’s hype woman had been stern about being quiet once the cameras started rolling.
    — Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023
  • The photo shows both the bow and the stern sections under construction.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 11 June 2026
  • By New York standards, though, her cooking can seem almost stern.
    — Pete Wells, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2023
  • Kaas is also remarkable in a tough role as the stern Anker, who is sometimes just plain mean.
    — Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Eldest children may create stern rules for their kids, such as a chore chart and strict bedtime routines.
    — Alex Vance, Parents, 18 Jan. 2026
  • Tenders onboard will reside in the stern garage, which can hold vessels up to 23 feet.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 June 2026
  • Off the ice, Knies speaks with a sterner tone at times, with his injury likely weighing on him.
    — Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026

stern

2 of 2 noun
  • Later, his colleagues found his shoes at the stern of the ship.
    — Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2020
  • From stem to stern, the new station was well worth waiting for.
    — Linda Gandee, cleveland, 12 Oct. 2021
  • The bow is aground on the eastern bank and the stern is on the western.
    — USA Today, 26 Mar. 2021
  • At the stern lies a garage with a pop-up door that can be neatly closed when not in use.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2023
  • The bow is aground on the canal's eastern bank and the stern is on the western bank.
    — John Bacon, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2021
  • Tie the bow and stern to the front and rear bumper with 550 paracord.
    — Field & Stream Commerce Team, Field & Stream, 23 Jan. 2023
  • The owner’s private deck has lounge seats that face the stern, with an on-deck jacuzzi.
    — Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2022
  • If the bow and stern of a heavy-laden ship are both sitting on a wave crest, the ship’s hull can sag.
    — Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 29 Dec. 2025
  • Somebody threw a rescue ring but there was no footing on the boat’s stern.
    — Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 7 July 2022
  • Parts of the stern, sitting on the lake bottom, are all that remain.
    — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2022
  • The robotic camera also showed the lifeboat tied to the ship's stern.
    — John Flesher, Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2023
  • The robotic camera also showed the lifeboat tied to the ship’s stern.
    — John Flesher, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2023
  • Athletes row backward, facing the stern, or rear of the boat.
    — Kim O'Connell, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 July 2022
  • Ellie crawls in a dark space, a stern-faced Lynskey appears out of a crowd.
    — Alexandra Del Rosariostaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2022
  • But a portion of the stern has broken off, meaning the hull is in at least two pieces.
    — al, 12 May 2022
  • The first two ships were small, only 50 to 70 feet from bow to stern.
    — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Parents can lounge on deck with a glass of Pošip, a crisp white wine, while kids swim off the stern.
    — Jancee Dunn, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2022
  • Rodemeyer did the honors with the net and hoisted the fish over the stern.
    — Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2022
  • The coxswain typically sits facing the stroke seat at the stern of the eight.
    — Olivia Reiner, USA TODAY, 23 July 2021
  • The shipwreck is so well-preserved that even the name of the ship can still be clearly seen across the stern.
    — Maria Pasquini, PEOPLE.com, 9 Mar. 2022
  • The stern of the canoe began to drag on bottom about 15 feet from shore.
    — Jim Hoagland, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The lead boat approached the Lazora’s port stern and switched on lights.
    — New York Times, 28 Jan. 2021
  • And on the lower levels, the master suite is in the bow with twin guest cabins at the stern.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 10 Dec. 2021
  • The greenheart wood planks are intact; the name plaque on the stern is barely tarnished.
    — Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
  • The stern, or the back of the ship, was clearly free from the land early Monday.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 29 Mar. 2021
  • Then, look at where to place the battery and how the boat will balance with the weight of a motor on the stern.
    — Field & Stream, 19 Mar. 2021
  • At the stern, a spacious beach club opens directly on the sun deck via a large sliding glass door.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 17 July 2023
  • The ship’s name, in gold lettering, was visible across the stern.
    — Mike Cherney, WSJ, 22 Mar. 2022
  • The fire has since been put out, but the vessel has since sunk into the bay, with just its stern out of the water.
    — Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 27 Dec. 2025
  • While past droughts have exposed the bow of this ship, the barge is now nearly visible from bow to stern.
    — Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 23 Aug. 2022

Some of 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.

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