serious-minded

adjective

Definition of serious-mindednext
as in earnest

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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-minded But a bigger problem is that his earnest, hard-working performance can’t help but utilize the same tools now familiar from much less serious-minded contexts. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025 Gore then spent eight years earning a reputation as a smart, serious-minded governing partner to Clinton. — Time, 3 Nov. 2025 Shane Hollander, the serious-minded captain of the Montreal Meteors, and star and playboy Ilya Rozanov of the Boston Bears are played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, respectively. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025 In this more serious-minded (and Madea-free) movie from Perry, Idris Elba plays Monty, a hard-working father who loses custody of his daughters to his drug-addled wife (Tasha Smith). — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for serious-minded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serious-minded
  1. earnest
  2. serious
  3. introspective
  4. somber
  5. solemn
  6. philosophical
  7. sedate
Adjective
  • But many professional-class socialists are no doubt making an earnest moral judgment, born of firsthand experience, that contemporary capitalism is deeply flawed.
    — Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Forget the silly animal high jinks, the humble slapstick of peekaboo and patty-cake, and the earnest overviews of shapes, colors, and numbers; some of today’s baby books have far loftier ambitions.
    — Elise Broach, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of earnest
Adjective
  • Senate Bill 2 created a process to decertify officers for serious misconduct.
    — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Severe dehydration can reduce blood flow to the kidneys and, in serious cases, cause acute kidney injury.
    — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of serious
Adjective
  • The music was imbued with grace and dignity in both its most introspective and uplifting moments.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • One is fluorescent, maximalist, and celebratory; the other is somber, introspective, and stripped back.
    — Thalía Henao, Allure, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of introspective
Adjective
  • Bookended by drone shots of the Macedonian countryside and a somber cello refrain by Novogradska, this 86-minute doc is otherwise composed of scoreless interviews with subjects seated in front of black curtains and captured in medium range.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
  • After that horrible 2011 stab at the scifi superhero with Ryan Reynolds in it, Hal Jordan (played by Kyle Chandler) returns in a more somber but certainly enjoyable eight-episode series on HBO.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner made a solemn pledge to never stop trying.
    — Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Both are powerful spots of natural beauty and deep cultural significance, but for a less solemn outing, the little islet of Ojima sits neatly between the two.
    — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • But that fear is also producing an increasingly dangerous critical climate in which audiences are being subtly encouraged to inspect every project for a philosophical smoking gun.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Voters, whether explicitly or not, wrestle with this philosophical fight.
    — Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of philosophical
Adjective
  • The talk is grave, the editing unhurried; the camera holds multiple characters in the frame and watches them from a sedate remove.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
  • In its own way, the new film is a further tribute to the late Michael’s greatness as a performer, as the footage captured him giving his all — even in front of a sedate Beijing audience.
    — David Chiu, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026
Definition of sedate

Browse Nearby Words

seriously
serious-minded
serious-mindedness
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Cite this Entry

“Serious-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serious-minded. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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