as in gravity
formal
a very serious quality or manner
The new leader has an air of gravitas that commands respect. a comic actress who lacks the gravitas for dramatic roles
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Recent Examples of gravitas
Henriksen plays his part to the hilt here, bringing a gravitas that few actors would consider bringing to the role of a shoot-'em-up movie villain.
—
Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 11 Jan. 2023
The nativity story is narrated by the Honorable Milton L. Wright, his voice and demeanor a blend of gravitas and compassion.
—Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Dec. 2022
Singer-songwriter-keyboardist McVie took an important role in its multi-platinum efforts, with her warmth and gravitas balancing the contributions of her younger new bandmates.
—Chris Morris, Variety, 30 Nov. 2022
Tell me about filming that scene and bringing the proper gravitas to a moment like that.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for gravitas
Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 11 Jan. 2023
The nativity story is narrated by the Honorable Milton L. Wright, his voice and demeanor a blend of gravitas and compassion.
—Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Dec. 2022
Singer-songwriter-keyboardist McVie took an important role in its multi-platinum efforts, with her warmth and gravitas balancing the contributions of her younger new bandmates.
—Chris Morris, Variety, 30 Nov. 2022
Tell me about filming that scene and bringing the proper gravitas to a moment like that.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for gravitas
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gravitas
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
-
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
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
Noun
-
Malek’s brave and wonderfully lived-in performance is one that will be long remembered, a career high for this Oscar-winning actor who simply inhabits this man with dignity and determination, his days limited but his spirit untouched.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
20 May 2026
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But Tusk said Europeans should be under no illusion about Washington’s determination to reduce its military presence on the continent and the need for Europeans to fill the gap.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
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
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For McQuoid, that appears to mean making a film devoid of color, shooting the incoherent fight sequences against murky backdrops, and treating the origin story of secondary protagonist Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) with the solemnity of a biblical reading.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
-
There were plenty of moments of silliness to go along with the solemnity in Tuesday’s show.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nolan’s attentiveness to his characters extends beyond the page.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
12 May 2026
-
The variance with accustomed Goodspeed values is apparent from the very first moments, though the opening gambit fails due to an appalling lack of attentiveness from the audience.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
One of my major disappointments in a lot of the writing was its humorlessness.—
Diya Chacko,
Oc Register,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gravitas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gravitas. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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