as in earnest
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Recent Examples of serious-minded
These ads — presented as teasers, TV spots, and a theatrical trailer that seemed to begin as a very serious-minded tribute to Disney’s great history — served as a delightful introduction to a character that would grow to become one of the studio’s most popular.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 May 2025
In 2025, Final Reckoning is exactly the kind of splashy crowd-pleaser that the festival seeks out to both offset and complement its otherwise fairly serious-minded slate of films from all over the world.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 May 2025
Rather than strain to add an arthouse veneer (or the climactic reveal of an animating trauma), Coogler offers a true synthesis between serious-minded fiction and B-movie camp.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2025
This is funny; Misty, a serious-minded statistician, can’t admit to frivolity.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
However, the deeper malaise will take some serious-minded action.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
The banter between Hedges and Scherzer lightened a serious-minded Rangers’ clubhouse.
—Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Who’s to say that a serious-minded semi-Marxist critique of economic desperation and the rise of fascism in the Star Wars universe is somehow harder than transplanting the 1980s Amblin sensibility to the same universe?
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 May 2025
In 2025, Final Reckoning is exactly the kind of splashy crowd-pleaser that the festival seeks out to both offset and complement its otherwise fairly serious-minded slate of films from all over the world.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 May 2025
Rather than strain to add an arthouse veneer (or the climactic reveal of an animating trauma), Coogler offers a true synthesis between serious-minded fiction and B-movie camp.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2025
This is funny; Misty, a serious-minded statistician, can’t admit to frivolity.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
However, the deeper malaise will take some serious-minded action.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
The banter between Hedges and Scherzer lightened a serious-minded Rangers’ clubhouse.
—Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Who’s to say that a serious-minded semi-Marxist critique of economic desperation and the rise of fascism in the Star Wars universe is somehow harder than transplanting the 1980s Amblin sensibility to the same universe?
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serious-minded
Adjective
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Nicholson worked closely with choreographer Corey Baker to develop her character’s clunky, earnest dance style.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
7 Sep. 2025
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While the homage is heartfelt, and certainly packs its share of genuine laughs, the end result can’t escape feeling like a hodgepodge, incapable of cohesively blending the satirical elements with the earnest messaging foremost on its mind.—
Michael Rechtshaffen,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Thankfully, the most recent accident was less serious, and Sabrina and their unborn child were ultimately okay.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Between them, Sinner and Alcaraz have dispatched their only serious rival in three straight majors, largely making every other match at these tournaments feel almost immaterial.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Events of this summer require all parties to be introspective.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Where the first and second used the murder-mystery as a jumping-off point for some very funny contemporary satire, Wake Up Dead Man is much more introspective.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Chapple, the late Queen’s beekeeper, went first to Clarence House and then Buckingham Palace to perform his somber duty of telling the bees, a centuries-old custom of informing the bees when their owner has died.—
Elizabeth Bass Parman,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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News voices in the 1970's tended to be somber, accent-less, and almost exclusively male.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Cape Town overflows with history and culture, from the colorful houses and Cape Malay heritage of Bo-Kaap to the solemn shores of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in prison.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
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Perhaps that should be a solemn oath for all AI makers.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This focus is not the result of a philosophical bug that’s somehow spread to the brains of city managers everywhere.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Sep. 2025
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This quiz invites you to journey through the golden age of literary sci-fi, where philosophical depth meets speculative wonder.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The oldest neighborhood in Miami, Coconut Grove is a sedate enclave that hugs Biscayne Bay about a dozen miles from South Beach—but up to an hour by car during peak traffic—with the iconic Vizcaya Museum and Gardens as its cultural and architectural center.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
4 Sep. 2025
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River cruising is still a more sedate, tradition-minded market compared with ocean cruising, and some travelers may prefer the quieter charms of existing lines.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Serious-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serious-minded. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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