serious

adjective

se·ri·ous | \ ˈsir-ē-əs

Definition of serious

1 : thoughtful or subdued in appearance or manner : sober a quiet, serious girl

2a : requiring much thought or work serious study

b : of or relating to a matter of importance a serious play

3a : not joking or trifling : being in earnest a serious question

b archaic : pious

c : deeply interested : devoted a serious musician

4a : 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

Other Words from serious Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about serious

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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

serious, solemn, and earnest mean not funny or not playful. serious means being concerned or seeming to be concerned about really important things. He's a serious student. solemn is used for dignity along with complete seriousness. The preacher is always very solemn. earnest means that someone is sincere and has serious intentions. She's an earnest, diligent student.

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

There will also be serious ethical implications that come with that innovation. — Polina Marinova, Fortune, "Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman on Bitcoin: “I Was Raised in a World Where Someone Needs to Control Currencies”," 17 Sep. 2019 More importantly for Baltimore fans, this game will answer a lot of questions about whether the Ravens are serious Super Bowl contenders. — Mike Preston, baltimoresun.com, "Preston: Just how good are the Ravens under Lamar Jackson? We’ll find out when they face the Chiefs.," 17 Sep. 2019 There were serious problems in the passing game, from scheme to personnel. — Ross Dellenger, SI.com, "'Out of the Dark Ages': How LSU's Lethal New Spread Attack Was Built," 17 Sep. 2019 African swine fever can cause serious production shortages and economic losses. — Sophie Jeong, CNN, "South Korea confirms first outbreak of African swine fever," 17 Sep. 2019 That leads to serious problems, such as kidney failure and strokes, and often to early death. — Meredith Wadman, Science | AAAS, "A new sickle cell drug could soon get U.S. approval. But does it work?," 17 Sep. 2019 After undergoing surgery on Friday, the star — who previously survived a horrific helicopter crash, as well as a serious horse and car accident — remains on heavy pain killers. — Christina Dugan, PEOPLE.com, "Christie Brinkley's Daughter Sailor Reveals She Didn't Want to Join Dancing with the Stars at First," 17 Sep. 2019 Many Americans, hearing stories the women had told, interpreted them as profoundly serious and therefore worthy of alarm. — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, "How Brett Kavanaugh Got the Last Laugh," 17 Sep. 2019 The administration could inflict some serious pain. — Fox News, "'Locked and loaded': Military options on table in response to Saudi oil attack as Trump seeks to avoid war," 17 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'serious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.