strengsten

Strengsten is the superlative form of the German adjective streng, meaning strict or severe. It expresses the highest degree of strictness and is used when comparing several things or states.

In German, strengsten appears in two common contexts. As an attributive adjective in plural with a definite determiner, it takes the ending -sten: Die strengsten Regeln gelten hier. In predicative or adverbial use, the superlative is formed with am: Die Prüfer bewerten die Antworten am strengsten, meaning they evaluate most strictly.

Nuance and usage: The term denotes a high level of strictness, often in contexts such as rules, standards, discipline, or enforcement. It can carry a formal or evaluative tone and is less common in everyday casual language, where milder terms might be used.

Examples:

- Die strengsten Regeln gelten in dieser Prüfung.

- Die Prüfungen werden am strengsten bewertet.

Cross-linguistic note: Strengsten is cognate with similar superlatives in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch strengste, reflecting a shared linguistic heritage around the concept of strictness.

See also: streng, strengheit, strict, strictness.