in earnest
idiom
1
: in an earnest or serious way
The search began in earnest when the police arrived.
After light showers during the day, it began to rain in earnest in the evening.
It's hard to tell if he's making this proposal in earnest.
2
: not fooling : serious and sincere
We thought he was joking at first, but then we realized that he was in earnest.
Examples of in earnest in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The plans for Slow and Low began in earnest during the COVID-19 pandemic when executive head chef Brock McDonald had surgery that limited his mobility, said Hargis, known for the popular LowBrau and Beast + Bounty restaurants in midtown Sacramento.
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Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 1 June 2024
Free agency begins in earnest March 11, which is when teams can begin talking to players before the free agency window officially opens two days later, but the draft will be a significant part of the process with eight picks in April.
—Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 21 May 2024
Christian support for Israel emerged in earnest during the '60s and '70s, Daniel Hummel, a research fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and expert on U.S.-Israel relations and American evangelicalism, says.
—Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 26 May 2024
Her work will begin in earnest next week when Hayes gathers her first U.S. team in suburban Denver for training camp and the first of two friendlies with South Korea.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for in earnest 
Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 1 June 2024
Free agency begins in earnest March 11, which is when teams can begin talking to players before the free agency window officially opens two days later, but the draft will be a significant part of the process with eight picks in April.
—Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 21 May 2024
Christian support for Israel emerged in earnest during the '60s and '70s, Daniel Hummel, a research fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and expert on U.S.-Israel relations and American evangelicalism, says.
—Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 26 May 2024
Her work will begin in earnest next week when Hayes gathers her first U.S. team in suburban Denver for training camp and the first of two friendlies with South Korea.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for in earnest
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'in earnest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near in earnest
Cite this Entry
“In earnest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20earnest. Accessed 14 Jun. 2024.
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