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

And by 2008, the company Andermatt Swiss Alps was created as the vehicle to achieve his project, and development began in earnest. —Jennifer Leigh Parker, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025

Even before campaigning began in earnest, there were residency challenges to Taylor’s candidacy, dismissed by the city’s Electoral Board. —Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025

After the fall fests, campaigning begins in earnest for those who want to take a leap of faith. —Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025

Russell said that negotiations began in earnest in June but collapsed in the fall when university negotiators walked away from the bargaining table. —Pat Maio, Orange County Register, 26 Feb. 2025

Rhymes for in earnest

• internist
• sternest