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earnest

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word earnest different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of earnest are grave, sedate, serious, sober, solemn, and staid. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

In what contexts can grave take the place of earnest?

The words grave and earnest can be used in similar contexts, but grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

When is it sensible to use sedate instead of earnest?

The synonyms sedate and earnest are sometimes interchangeable, but sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

Where would serious be a reasonable alternative to earnest?

The words serious and earnest are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

When can sober be used instead of earnest?

In some situations, the words sober and earnest are roughly equivalent. However, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When might solemn be a better fit than earnest?

Although the words solemn and earnest have much in common, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

When is staid a more appropriate choice than earnest?

While the synonyms staid and earnest are close in meaning, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of earnest
Adjective
Horror experts like Zimmerman know all too well how that hurt the legendary director’s bottom line, but Shudder’s decade of success with serious horror fans proves that the Father of Zombies’ earnest approach still works as a modern business model. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2025 Accordingly, the company represents various public figures forging brand partnerships that feel earnest to their values and personalities. Andrew McGowan, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
The Oak Bluffs community envisioned by the collection started in earnest when Charles Shearer opened Shearer Cottage in 1912, according to The Root. James Powel, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2025 Earnings seasons get going in earnest over the coming week, with Wall Street eager to find out how much of the tariff are impacting margins. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 13 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for earnest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earnest
Adjective
  • Banners hang from the eaves of many houses, a solemn reminder to mark where residents were either killed or kidnapped.
    NBC News, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Yom Kippur is the most solemn Jewish holiday, marking the end of the 10 Days of Repentance that begin with Rosh Hashanah.
    Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Blaylock was charged with felony injury to a child with serious bodily injury, court records show.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
  • By the eighth inning, the Mariners were facing the serious possibility of having to win both games in Toronto to take the series.
    Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Advertisement The Chair Company’s hero is the other side of that coin, a disempowered man whose earnestness brings him only embarrassment and whose attempts to find someone to blame for his misery only dig him deeper into it.
    Judy Berman, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The earnestness and sincerity that characterized so much music from the late ’90s were overtaken by the sneering rage of nu metal.
    Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • At Roland Park, Tupac’s English teacher was a stern woman named Thomasina Porter.
    Jeff Pearlman, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The short war in Cuba gained the United States the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico; turned the nation into a Pacific power; and created beliefs that America was a stern yet benevolent country tasked by Destiny to enforce peace and bring prosperity to the world.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • According to Bball-Index’s stat that measures gravity (how much attention a primary defender pays to his man while away from the ball), Hunter blew away his previous career high in 2024-25.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Almost all spacecraft sent to deep space — including the Voyager probes, Juno, Cassini-Huygens, and Galileo — must execute gravity assist maneuvers, slingshotting around planets to gain velocity for their vast treks.
    Big Think, Big Think, 15 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Earnest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earnest. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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