How to Use earnest in a Sentence

earnest

adjective

• I'll accept only an earnest apology from you.
• Vu’s film is more earnest, which at times dulls its tone.
  — Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2022
• Once the sun sets, looting and burning and killing begin in earnest.
  — Daniel Voll, Esquire, 18 June 2012
• The young man was earnest, asking about how credit works and buying a home.
  — Rachel Uranga, Anchorage Daily News, 10 June 2023
• Democrats are getting tired of bearing the burden of being earnest.
  — Abdul El-Sayed, The New Republic, 3 Nov. 2022
• Its earnest, adult approach will likely help its cause.
  — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2023
• With the search over, demolition work was starting in earnest.
  — John Peragine, New York Times, 7 June 2023
• This the realm of the saints and black magic, of the earnest prayer and the evil eye and of the never-ending war between good and bad energies.
  — John MacCormack, ExpressNews.com, 7 Aug. 2020
• The fantastical, earnest world of haunted dolls on eBay.
  — Ryan Katz, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2022
• Many places see earnest efforts come and go with the rotation frequency of fashion trends.
  — Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
• The videos show his gut reactions to viewing people cook across the spectrum — from earnest to ridiculous.
  — Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023
• With a new administration in office and so much at stake, now is a good time to approach that task in earnest.
  — Liz Spayd, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2017
• Nick Solak is going to get an earnest opportunity to win the job.
  — Evan Grant, Dallas News, 12 Feb. 2021
• The humor may remind you of college a cappella groups, clever and twee and earnest and pleasant enough in small doses.
  — Vulture, 13 Nov. 2023
• That is an alarm this earnest musical does manage to raise, potently.
  — Peter Marks, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
• The mystery started in earnest last spring and lasted until autumn’s twilight.
  — Alan Blinder, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2023
• Cain is not unlike his songs, romantic, earnest, still carrying the flush of youth.
  — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2022
• Crucially, underneath those jokes is an earnest argument that rock and roll can set you free.
  — Chris Stanton, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2023
• In real life Shannon’s not afraid of being earnest, either.
  — Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2022
• The Prophet is portrayed as imperfect yet earnest, courageous in the face of persecution.
  — David Remnick, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2023
• The staging is simple and effective — an array of screens sets the various scenic backdrops for what amounts to an earnest debate play.
  — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023
• The earnest statement paired with equally solemn black-and-white photo and signature had some wondering if the remarks were some sort of joke.
  — James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Nov. 2023
• Because there’s something about the Muppets that is very earnest, not ashamed of real emotion and is never snarky.
  — Michael Schneider, Variety, 11 Apr. 2023
• And is earnest even in her performance during scenes with what can only be described as wooden dialogue.
  — Andy Meek, BGR, 27 Jan. 2022
• Adams defends his life-style enthusiasms but isn’t always earnest about them.
  — Ian Parker, The New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2023
• Even his admirers can be caught trying to tame him—pushing him into earnest ethical stances.
  — Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2022
• His verses were punctuated with growls and barks, yet his art was far too earnest for these elements to scan as gimmickry.
  — David Drake, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2021
• Condor's sweet melodies paired with heartwarmingly earnest lyrics about the virtues of true love will inspire hope in even the most hopeless romantic.
  — Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 28 Aug. 2020
• What starts as an earnest attempt to get more sleep, or save more money, or read a book a week, can quickly feel like a failure when life gets in the way and derails those plans.
  — Amanda Yeager, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2024
• Kat is an accidental feminist, the semi-good wife of an ambitious pol in a novel that sends up all things earnest.
  — Karen Heller, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2023

Last Updated: 27 Mar 2024