adverb

sternly

sternly, strictly, severely

'Sit down,' he said sternly.

'Sit down,' he said sternly.

She looked at him sternly.

She looked at him sternly.

verb + ((sternly)). She looked at him sternly.

((sternly)) + verb. He sternly warned the children.

Synonyms: strictly, severely, harshly; Antonyms: gently, kindly, leniently

From the adjective 'stern' + the adverbial suffix '-ly'.

This word describes *how* an action is done. If a person is 'stern', they act 'sternly'.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.