1
as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner
I'm serious when I say that no one should be walking in that neighborhood at night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in important
having a matter of importance as its topic
a very serious film that dealt with the aftermath of the Gulf War
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
a serious accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 serious
This deserves serious study among Reid and the Chiefs’ coaches this offseason.
—
Sam McDowell 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
That level of thermal signature would be a serious drawback in modern combat.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
The 6-foot-11 Richards likely will shoulder serious minutes at the five after Tuesday’s trade of Nikola Vučević.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
That person was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries; however, police later said the department's homicide unit is investigating the shooting.
—Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for serious
Sam McDowell 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
That level of thermal signature would be a serious drawback in modern combat.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
The 6-foot-11 Richards likely will shoulder serious minutes at the five after Tuesday’s trade of Nikola Vučević.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
That person was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries; however, police later said the department's homicide unit is investigating the shooting.
—Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for serious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serious
Adjective
-
The announcements were made during a solemn session marking the opening of the 2026 judicial year at the Supreme Court of Justice, at an official ceremony closed to the media.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Members of the British royal family traditionally take part in a number of solemn events to honor their sacrifices.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
As for the ever important flame, a high-performance burner powered by bio-GPL produced from 100 percent renewable feedstocks by energy company ENI is at the core of the torch.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Its mass is the most important factor in determining both its lifetime and its fate, with other secondary factors, such as metallicity (or the fraction of heavy elements present within it), also playing a role.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
More than a billion phones are now ineligible for security updates at a time when the threat landscape has never been more dangerous.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The church opened its warming center over the weekend, anticipating the arrival of the winter storm and the dangerous drop in temperatures.—
Leondra Head,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
When his condition escalated to severe pneumonia and sepsis, his heart stopped and the team performed CPR, according to a press release on the case.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
And while there are signs the selling has become overdone, the ructions in the industry caused by artificial intelligence applications are severe enough that pricing a bottom has become a fraught exercise.—
Bernard Goyder,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
As well as cheeky possums and young kestrels readying to make their first flight, this year’s gallery also includes images that ask bigger questions about the human impact on the planet.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The last challenge is that the very faint objects that are both intrinsically small and are located at great distances present a big challenge to any observatory that has to contend with Earth’s atmosphere.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous surf and NEVER turn your back on the ocean.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Coming back from the dead can be hazardous to your health.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That O’Hara can simultaneously exude the earnest sadness of her character, draw audiences into the beauty of the song, and sell lyrics that are at least a little parodic is an enchanting feat.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Green has taken notice of Cunningham’s development and spoke on it with an earnest sense of pride.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
At least five competing proposals have emerged from major coalitions, several of which have fractured in recent days as internal disputes deepened.—
JACQUELINE CHARLES MIAMI HERALD,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
-
This latest release coincides with a major celebration of his spiritual organization, the incarnation month of its second guru, Shah Satnam Singh.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Serious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serious. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
