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
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
The 66-year-old Showalter brought a sense of stability and gravitas to a franchise that had been saddled with on- and off-the-field issues over the past several seasons.
—
David Brandt,
BostonGlobe.com,
15 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for gravitas
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
11 Jan. 2023
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
The 66-year-old Showalter brought a sense of stability and gravitas to a franchise that had been saddled with on- and off-the-field issues over the past several seasons.
—
David Brandt,
BostonGlobe.com,
15 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for gravitas
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gravitas
Noun
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Her concept of gravity draws on both East and West, on karma and original sin.
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The probe was delayed from 2022, and headed for the asteroid Psyche, using a Mars-gravity assist and not arriving until August 2029.
Noun
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As these events unfold, Early’s earnestness blurs comedy and drama, to surprisingly heartfelt effect.
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Western, for his part, had by this time recovered something of his usual bluster, and began again upon the subject of Blifil, commending his estate and his family with great earnestness, as though these considerations alone ought to have settled the matter long since.
Noun
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Whitehead was also struck by Barer’s seriousness about her work as an agent—commitment to one’s calling being the signature quality of his protagonists.
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In all seriousness, this isn’t meant to excuse Tampa Bay for losing a quality player.
Noun
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Croatia returned from the hydration break with determination, forcing Panama to play its game for the first time so far.
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Sayers, however, appealed the OOR’s determination to the Centre County Court of Common Pleas.
Noun
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Season 3 opens with the Battle of the Gullet, the largest naval battle in the history of Westeros, and the moment that the Dance of Dragons kicks off in earnest.
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Canada’s work with the REACT Neuro virtual reality program started in earnest in June 2025.
Noun
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Gore is best known for Make America Great Again, her 2016 naked portrait of Trump with the paunch and solemnity of the great men of art history, adding, crucially, the tiniest of compensatory micropenises.
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As his own self-celebration has fizzled, a void has opened between the scheduled roster of events and the true purpose and meaning of the solemnity of July 4, 2026.
Noun
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That attentiveness showed up in small ways throughout our stay.
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In the past 15 years, and especially in the last five, our city has seen an influx of pizza restaurants and chefs who’ve brought a diversity of styles and an attentiveness to elevated ingredients and approaches.
Noun
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One of my major disappointments in a lot of the writing was its humorlessness.
Cite this Entry
“Gravitas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gravitas. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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