Sterling — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˈstər-liŋ/ ster·ling

Meaning & Definition of Sterling

Sterling (noun)

  1. British money
  2. sterling silver or articles of it

Sterling (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or calculated in terms of British sterling
  2. payable in sterling
  3. having a fixed standard of purity usually defined legally as represented by an alloy of 925 parts of silver with 75 parts of copper

Sterling (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. of the very best kind

    "credited the win to the pitcher's sterling performance on the mound"

    similar: A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo, bonny (chiefly British), boss (slang), brag, brave, bully, bumper, capital, choice, classic, cool (slang), corking, crackerjack, cracking, dandy, divine, dope (slang), down (slang), dynamite, excellent, fab, fabulous, famous, fantabulous (slang), fantastic, fine, first-class, first-rate, first-string, five-star, four-star, frontline, gangbusters, gilt-edged, gone (slang), grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-class, hot, hype (slang), immense, jim-dandy, keen, lovely, marvelous, mean, neat, nifty, noble, number one, numero uno, out-of-sight (slang), par excellence, peachy, peachy keen, phat (slang), prime, primo (slang), prize, prizewinning, quality, radical (slang), righteous (slang), sensational, slick, splendid, stellar, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, swell, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, top-of-the-line, top-shelf, topflight, topping (chiefly British), unsurpassed, wizard (chiefly British), wonderful, out of this world, too much
    related: acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, good, OK, passable, satisfactory, tolerable, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, high-test, premium, select, special, superfine, classical, standard, traditional
    opposite: atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched
    near: bad, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory, mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate

Related Entry: Pound (noun)

Pound is a different word from Sterling. The synonyms below are for pound, not for sterling.

  1. a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument

    "give the nail a final pound with the hammer"

    similar: bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, douse (British), fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, larrup (dialect), lash, lick, pelt, pick, plump, poke, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, stroke, swat, swipe, switch, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop
    related: counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke, body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut, cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO, bastinado, battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling, drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling, thrashing, flogging, walloping, whip, whipping

Related Entry: Pound (noun)

Pound is a different word from Sterling. The synonyms below are for pound, not for sterling.

  1. an enclosure with an open framework for keeping animals

    "stray dogs wearing tags are kept in that pound until their owners can be notified"

    similar: cage, coop, corral, hutch, pen
    related: kennel, run, kraal, stockade, cote, dovecote, henhouse, fold, sheepfold, pigpen, aquarium, terrarium, live-box, fence

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Sterling

The most common words with a similar meaning to Sterling:

Slang: boss, cool, dope, down, fantabulous, gone, hype, out-of-sight, phat, primo, radical, righteous
Chiefly British: bonny, topping, wizard
A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo, brag, brave, bully, bumper, capital, choice, classic, corking, crackerjack, cracking, dandy, divine, dynamite, excellent, fab, fabulous, famous, fantastic, fine, first-class, first-rate, first-string, five-star, four-star, frontline, gangbusters, gilt-edged, grand, great, groovy, heavenly

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Sterling

Words with the opposite meaning of Sterling:

atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched

Related Words for Sterling

acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, good, OK, passable, satisfactory, tolerable, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, high-test, premium, select, special, superfine, classical, standard, traditional

Near Antonyms of Sterling

bad, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory, mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate

Word Forms of Sterling

Derived words: sterlingly (adverb), sterlingness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Sterling

Middle English, silver penny, probably from Old English *steorling, from Old English steorra star + -ling:1 star

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Sterling

sterling area

Frequently Asked Questions about Sterling

What does "Sterling" mean?

"Sterling" means British money. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: British money.

What is another word for "Sterling"?

Other words for "Sterling" include A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip and blue-ribbon. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Sterling" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Sterling"?

There are 116 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Sterling". Common alternatives include A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo and bonny.

What is a slang word for "Sterling"?

Slang words for "Sterling" include boss, cool, dope, down, fantabulous and gone.

What is the opposite of "Sterling"?

Antonyms of "Sterling" include atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten and terrible. Near antonyms include bad, inferior, low-grade and substandard.

How do you use "Sterling" in a sentence?

Examples of "Sterling" in a sentence: "credited the win to the pitcher's sterling performance on the mound".

Is "Sterling" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Sterling" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Sterling"?

"Sterling" is pronounced /ˈstər-liŋ/ and divided into syllables as ster·ling.