# sternly

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈstɝnli/ · frequency rank #47,934

## Definitions
1. In a stern manner.

## Etymology
From Middle English sternly, sternely, sterneliche, sturnely, sturneliche, from Old English stirnlīċe, styrnlīċe, stiernlīċe (“harshly; severely; sternly”), equivalent to stern + -ly.

## Easily confused with
- **sternum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sternly-vs-sternum)
- **stern** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stern-vs-sternly)
- **steely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/steely-vs-sternly)
- **sterile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sterile-vs-sternly)
- **steeply** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/steeply-vs-sternly)
- **starkly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/starkly-vs-sternly)

## Common misspellings (12)
`setrnly`, `ssternly`, `stenrly`, `sterlny`, `sternlly`, `sternlyy`, `sternnly`, `sternyl`, `sterrnly`, `strenly`, `stternly`, `tsernly`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sternly