as in intentness
a mental state free of jesting or trifling
practiced the art of acting with great earnestness
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Recent Examples of earnestness
The earnestness of the Islanders was meant to be offset by the humor of production.
—
Anna Peele, Vulture, 20 May 2026
But earnestness is the enemy of hilarity.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
Some of the concurrent plots to the main narrative are too on the nose, and the film suffers from some earnestness, particularly where two young characters and a cute dog are involved.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 19 May 2026
In 1987, such genuine earnestness in a song that was actually about something was novel and welcome to listeners like me, who felt alienated by Top 40 radio but were too sheltered to encounter, let alone embrace, hardcore or rap.
—Dan Kois, Pitchfork, 17 May 2026
Kapetan’s yearning, intimate voice is still front and center, mixing and modernizing elements of favorites of the aughts like Conor Oberst (his earnestness), Ben Kweller (his wit), and Sufjan Stevens (his beauty).
—Brendan Hay, SPIN, 27 Apr. 2026
Not too serious or sappy, but with room for both earnestness and whimsy.
—New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
The earnestness of these calls to join is refreshing compared to the distance currently felt in many places, where the disconnection can make neighbors feel like strangers.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
But the Explosive News representative spoke of their efforts with a lofty earnestness.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Anna Peele, Vulture, 20 May 2026
But earnestness is the enemy of hilarity.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
Some of the concurrent plots to the main narrative are too on the nose, and the film suffers from some earnestness, particularly where two young characters and a cute dog are involved.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 19 May 2026
In 1987, such genuine earnestness in a song that was actually about something was novel and welcome to listeners like me, who felt alienated by Top 40 radio but were too sheltered to encounter, let alone embrace, hardcore or rap.
—Dan Kois, Pitchfork, 17 May 2026
Kapetan’s yearning, intimate voice is still front and center, mixing and modernizing elements of favorites of the aughts like Conor Oberst (his earnestness), Ben Kweller (his wit), and Sufjan Stevens (his beauty).
—Brendan Hay, SPIN, 27 Apr. 2026
Not too serious or sappy, but with room for both earnestness and whimsy.
—New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
The earnestness of these calls to join is refreshing compared to the distance currently felt in many places, where the disconnection can make neighbors feel like strangers.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
But the Explosive News representative spoke of their efforts with a lofty earnestness.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earnestness
Noun
-
While the high will hover close to 90 on Monday, the heat could hit in earnest on Tuesday.—
Hali Smith,
Idaho Statesman,
8 May 2026
-
Then the Dodgers’ bats heated up in earnest.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The interior features upscale amenities, including privacy glass, zero-gravity comfort seats, and dedicated rear entertainment screens.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 May 2026
-
Scientists think that at the heart of most galaxies lies a black hole, and in M77, its central black hole's intense gravity is pulling gas inward.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Though soaps were not without their occasional levity, the earnest self-seriousness of their proceedings often prevented them from engaging in self-reflexive critique.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Beyond the incident’s seriousness, its precedent-setting disclosure is a warning to boards that underestimate or disregard shadow AI risk.—
Noah Barsky,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Earnestness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earnestness. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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