serious-minded

adjective

se·​ri·​ous-mind·​ed ˌsir-ē-əs-ˈmīn-dəd How to pronounce serious-minded (audio)
: having a serious disposition or trend of thought
serious-mindedly adverb
serious-mindedness noun

Examples of serious-minded in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Rather, Oppenheimer appeals to the art-house crowd with a serious-minded rumination on guilt and the human capacity to rationalize away one’s misdeeds. Peter Debruge, Variety, 1 Sep. 2024 Overall, however, the theatrical market is much more challenging for serious-minded documentaries. Addie Morfoot, Variety, 8 Aug. 2024 At the movie’s core is the real-life contrast between stylish Marilyn, with her marital wealth, and the comfort-centric utilitarian look that serious-minded, self-reliant Lou favors. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 July 2024 The country needs a strong, vibrant and serious-minded GOP, to compete against and hold the Democratic Party in check. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2024 Jessie is talented, serious-minded, with a purist’s preference for black-and-white film. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2024 Bill Jorgensen, a serious-minded broadcast journalist who for 12 years anchored the pioneering, street-smart 10 p.m. newscast on New York’s Channel 5, died on March 13 at his home in Franklin, N.C. Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 At this year’s BAFTAs, his serious-minded epic Oppenheimer won seven awards—with two for Nolan himself in the form of best director and best film. Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2024 At their best, the Hammer period horrors approached a serious-minded costume drama as invaded by a variety of murderous predators. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of serious-minded was in 1845

Dictionary Entries Near serious-minded

Cite this Entry

“Serious-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serious-minded. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

serious-minded

adjective
se·​ri·​ous-mind·​ed
ˌsir-ē-ə-ˈsmīn-dəd
: having a serious disposition or trend of thought

More from Merriam-Webster on serious-minded

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