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

Imports rose substantially as well, and the deficit began its climb northward in earnest. —Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025

In the two years since TV streamers began cutting back in earnest, industry analysts have observed a consistent trend toward shorter seasons of fewer episodes and fewer renewals for existing shows. —Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 28 May 2025

Lifting sanctions would allow reconstruction to begin in earnest. —Natasha Hall, Foreign Affairs, 27 May 2025

This releases the carbon dioxide trapped in fresh beans, which would otherwise interfere with extraction when the hot water begins flowing in earnest. —Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 23 May 2025

Rhymes for in earnest

• internist
• sternest