as in intentness
a mental state free of jesting or trifling
practiced the art of acting with great earnestness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of earnestness
Craigslist nostalgia Craigslist, the decades-old online classifieds site, is still the go-to platform for some millennials who are nostalgic for the earnestness of the early web.
—
Jordan Blum, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
Do not let Fernando Mendoza’s earnestness fool you.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
Please pardon the forthcoming earnestness.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 9 Jan. 2026
The current leading lights in rock are largely admired for their raw earnestness.
—Armin Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
Part of what comes to me, Roxana, is my sincerity and my earnestness.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2026
Cappa’s humor and the framing of his show don’t have the same narrative earnestness, but his characters do.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 18 Dec. 2025
There’s a Leave It to Beaver earnestness about the stuff.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2025
Though the score is anthem-heavy and earnestness is always hovering, there are moments in the show that are transcendent.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Jordan Blum, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
Do not let Fernando Mendoza’s earnestness fool you.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
Please pardon the forthcoming earnestness.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 9 Jan. 2026
The current leading lights in rock are largely admired for their raw earnestness.
—Armin Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
Part of what comes to me, Roxana, is my sincerity and my earnestness.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2026
Cappa’s humor and the framing of his show don’t have the same narrative earnestness, but his characters do.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 18 Dec. 2025
There’s a Leave It to Beaver earnestness about the stuff.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2025
Though the score is anthem-heavy and earnestness is always hovering, there are moments in the show that are transcendent.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earnestness
Noun
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Negotiations to establish the bank started in earnest in 2014, as several Asian economies like India and Indonesia chose to join the new institution as members.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
14 Dec. 2025
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In 2026, Hendricks will start in earnest on Phase 1 of the redevelopment, meaning every tenant needs to vacate the mall by Dec. 31.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The system places users in a zero-gravity posture originally developed for aerospace applications.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
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Cruz and other Republicans argued the decision minimized the gravity of an attack on the judiciary and could encourage future political violence.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Rodriguez noted that the law at the center of the battle doesn’t permit her to consider the seriousness of the offense nor the impact on the victims.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
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Advertisement This is not a failure of seriousness so much as a shift in how seriousness is encountered.—
Debbie Millman,
Time,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Earnestness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earnestness. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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