earnest
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- serious, grave, intent, resolute, resolved, sincere, solemn, thoughtful
[noun]
Synonyms:
- in earnest: seriousness, sincerity, truth

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Antonyms: jest, play, frivolous
Contrasted words: buoyant, effervescent, elastic, flippant, light
Related Words: attention, interest, enthusiasm, warmth, zeal, ardent, enthusiastic, passionate, pressing, warm, zealous, assiduous, busy, diligent, industrious, perseverant, sedulous, sincere, wholehearted, whole-souled

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English Thesaurus: serious, solemn, grave, sombre, earnest, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. ear‧nest¹ /ˈɜːnəst, ˈɜːnɪst $ ˈɜːr-/ adjective
[Language: Old English; Origin: eornost]
very serious and sincere:
a rather earnest young man
Matthews was in earnest conversation with a young girl.
an earnest desire to offer something useful to society
earnest expression/look/voice etc
earnest attempt/effort etc
—earnestly adverb:
earnestly discussing politics
—earnestness noun [uncountable]

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. earnest² noun

1. in earnest if something starts happening in earnest, it begins properly – used when it was happening in a small or informal way before:
On Monday your training begins in earnest!

2. be in earnest to really mean what you are saying, especially when expressing an intention or wish:
She wasn’t sure whether he was in earnest or not.
be in dead/deadly/complete earnest
Although he smiled, Ashley knew he was in deadly earnest.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

earnest
adjective
BAD: The earnest students never missed a class.
GOOD: The serious students never missed a class.

Usage Note:
Earnest is used to describe someone who takes life too seriously, often failing to see things that are humorous: 'He's one of those very earnest types that go around looking for problems to solve.'
Serious is used to describe someone who is fully committed to something: 'I see her at the karate club once a week, but I don't think she's serious.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

serious not joking or laughing, or not pretending:
His voice sounded serious.
They seem to be serious about their relationship.
solemn very serious because of an important or sad occasion or ceremony:
My father looked solemn, the way grown-ups look at funerals.
The judge read the verdict in a solemn voice.
grave written quiet and very serious – used especially about the way people look when something important or worrying happens:
She consulted Doctor Staples and returned looking grave.
He listened with a grave expression on his face.
sombre British English (also somber American English) /ˈsɒmbə $ ˈsɑːmbər/ written sad, quiet, or serious because something unpleasant or worrying has happened or is going to happen:
They sat in sombre silence.
The meeting began in a sombre mood.
earnest very serious and sincere – often used about someone who is young and not very experienced:
He was a rather earnest-looking young man.
‘That’s wrong,’ she said, her voice sounding very earnest.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

serious very bad – used about problems, accidents, illnesses, or crimes:
Violent crime is a serious problem in and around the capital.
The boy was taken to hospital with serious head injuries.
Fortunately, the damage to the car was not serious.
severe very serious – used about problems, injuries, and illnesses:
He suffered severe injuries in a car crash.
The problem became so severe that they had to bring water in from other countries.
severe epilepsy
grave used about a situation that is very serious and worrying, especially because it is dangerous or seems likely to get worse:
A thick fog descended and I knew that we were in grave danger.
The situation is grave – war now seems inevitable.
acute used about an illness, problem, or situation that has become very serious or dangerous, and needs to be dealt with quickly:
She was taken to the hospital suffering from acute appendicitis.
In San Diego, the shortage of skilled workers is acute.
desperate used about a situation or problem that is very serious or dangerous, especially because a lot of people need urgent help:
The situation is desperate – people here need aid before the harsh winter sets in.
The hospital is full of people in desperate need of medical attention.
critical used about a situation that is very serious and dangerous and might get worse suddenly:
In 1991, the food supply situation became critical.
Eight people were killed and four are still in a critical condition.
life-threatening used about a situation, illness, or condition in which someone could die:
Her child had a potentially life-threatening illness.
The situation was not life-threatening, but it was very worrying.
be a matter of life and death spoken to be extremely serious – used when a situation is very urgent or important:
For people living with HIV, getting the right treatment is literally a matter of life and death.
solemn very serious because of an important or sad occasion or ceremony:
My father looked solemn, the way grown-ups look at funerals.
The judge read the verdict in a solemn voice.
sombre British English (also somber American English) /ˈsɒmbə $ ˈsɑːmbər/ written sad, quiet, or serious because something unpleasant or worrying has happened or is going to happen:
They sat in sombre silence.
The meeting began in a sombre mood.
earnest very serious and sincere – often used about someone who is young and not very experienced:
He was a rather earnest-looking young man.
‘That’s wrong,’ she said, her voice sounding very earnest.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

earnest
̈ɪˈə:nɪst
See: in earnest

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲