serious

adjective

se·​ri·​ous ˈsir-ē-əs How to pronounce serious (audio)
1
: thoughtful or subdued in appearance or manner : sober
a quiet, serious girl
2
a
: requiring much thought or work
serious study
b
: of or relating to a matter of importance
a serious play
3
a
: not joking or trifling : being in earnest
a serious question
b
archaic : pious
c
: deeply interested : devoted
a serious musician
4
a
: not easily answered or solved
serious objections
b
: having important or dangerous possible consequences
a serious injury
5
: excessive or impressive in quality, quantity, extent, or degree
serious stereo equipment
making serious money
serious drinking
seriousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for serious

serious, grave, solemn, sedate, staid, sober, earnest mean not light or frivolous.

serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

Examples of serious in a Sentence

“You sound terrible.” “It's just a bad cold. Nothing serious.” For my brother, not going to college was a serious mistake. Crime is a serious problem in this neighborhood. The team is a serious contender for the championship. If you want to quit smoking, you have to make a serious effort. They had a serious conversation about their relationship. a serious novel about modern life The story raises serious questions about our system of justice. Dog shows are a serious business. She is a serious cyclist who rides 200 miles each week.
Recent Examples on the Web In closing, Bain gives us his advice on how to be a serious collector in the current climate. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 North Atlantic right whales are legally protected, both internationally and in U.S. waters, including policies that seek to reduce deaths or serious injuries resulting from entanglements. Joshua Reed, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2024 Any higher, and Ward could have suffered serious damage to his brain. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 But his collection of tens of thousands of signatures of support was a sharp reminder that while the result of the upcoming presidential election in Russia may be inevitable, Putin’s popularity among ordinary Russians could eventually face a serious challenge. Matthew Chance, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 As a good teacher would with any serious student or participant. Matt Thompson, SPIN, 12 Mar. 2024 The mother and daughter had serious injuries from gunshot wounds and they were pronounced dead after they were transported to a local hospital. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Prado determined that none of the initial five Uvalde police officers who responded to the shooting violated policy or committed serious acts of misconduct. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 12 Mar. 2024 Nearly 12% of collisions involving large trucks in Indiana result in serious injuries, highlighting the significant risks faced by those sharing the roads with these massive vehicles. Kyle Russell, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'serious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English seryows, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French serious, from Late Latin seriosus, alteration of Latin serius weighty, serious; probably akin to Old English swǣr heavy, sad

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of serious was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near serious

Cite this Entry

“Serious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serious. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

serious

adjective
se·​ri·​ous ˈsir-ē-əs How to pronounce serious (audio)
1
: thoughtful or quiet in appearance or manner
2
a
: requiring much thought or work
serious study
b
: of or relating to a matter of importance
a serious novel
3
: not joking or funny
4
: having important or dangerous possible consequences
a serious injury
seriously adverb
seriousness noun

Medical Definition

serious

adjective
se·​ri·​ous ˈsir-ē-əs How to pronounce serious (audio)
: having important or dangerous possible consequences
a serious injury

More from Merriam-Webster on serious

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