stern
🇺🇸
/stɜːrn/
🇬🇧
/stɜːn/
adjective
R
serious and strict, expecting others to obey
The teacher gave a stern warning to the students.
R
serious and difficult to deal with
We faced stern challenges in the competition.
noun
R
the back part of a ship or boat
The captain stood at the stern of the ship.
translation
serious and strict, expecting others to obey; serious and difficult to deal with
the back part of a ship or boat
Word Forms
Comparative
sterner
Superlative
sternest
Plural
sterns