1
: British money
2
: sterling silver or articles of it
1
a
: of, relating to, or calculated in terms of British sterling
b
: payable in sterling
2
a
of silver
: having a fixed standard of purity usually defined legally as represented by an alloy of 925 parts of silver with 75 parts of copper
b
: made of sterling silver
3
: conforming to the highest standard
sterling character
a sterling record of achievement
sterlingly
adverb
sterlingness
noun
Synonyms
Adjective
- A-OK
- A1
- awesome
- bang-up
- banner
- beautiful
- blue-chip
- blue-ribbon
- boffo
- bonny [chiefly British]
- bonnie
- 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
- gangbuster
- gilt-edged
- gilt-edge
- gone [slang]
- grand
- great
- groovy
- heavenly
- high-class
- hot
- hype [slang]
- immense
- jim-dandy
- keen
- lovely
- marvelous
- marvellous
- mean
- neat
- nifty
- noble
- number one
- No. 1
- 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
Examples of sterling in a Sentence
Noun
a drop in the value of sterling
Adjective
a sterling example of democracy at work
credited the win to the pitcher's sterling performance on the mound
Recent Examples on the Web
Layla Ilchi, WWD, 30 Oct. 2024
What drew Booth to La Vieille Ferme was the price, just about 7 pounds sterling in the UK (about $10).
—Megan Wahn, Bon Appétit, 11 Oct. 2024
Rima Suqi, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
The addition of a hybrid model this year adds a sterling 50-mpg EPA city-driving fuel economy estimate to that list of virtues.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sterling 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Noun
Naficy stated the main limitation is materials, as the platform only has an array of gemstones and materials like sterling silver and 14-karat gold in availability from its manufacturing partners.
—Layla Ilchi, WWD, 30 Oct. 2024
What drew Booth to La Vieille Ferme was the price, just about 7 pounds sterling in the UK (about $10).
—Megan Wahn, Bon Appétit, 11 Oct. 2024
Adjective
All hand crafted from sterling silver in Puiforcat’s workshop just outside Paris.
—Rima Suqi, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
The addition of a hybrid model this year adds a sterling 50-mpg EPA city-driving fuel economy estimate to that list of virtues.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sterling
Articles Related to sterling
Dictionary Entries Near sterling
Cite this Entry
“Sterling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterling. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sterling
1 of 2 noun
ster·ling
ˈstər-liŋ 
1
: British money
2
: sterling silver or articles of it
sterling
2 of 2 adjective1
: of or relating to British sterling
2
: being or made of an alloy of 925 parts of silver with 75 parts of copper
sterling silver
3
Etymology
Noun
so called from the phrase "a pound sterling," meaning the British pound as a monetary unit, but originally "a pound (by weight) of sterlings," from Middle English sterling "silver penny"
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