serious

adjective

se·ri·ous ˈsir-ē-əs

Synonyms of serious next

: thoughtful or subdued in appearance or manner : sober

a quiet, serious girl

: requiring much thought or work

serious study

: of or relating to a matter of importance

a serious play

: not joking or trifling : being in earnest

a serious question

archaic : pious

: deeply interested : devoted

a serious musician

: not easily answered or solved

serious objections

: having important or dangerous possible consequences

a serious injury

: excessive or impressive in quality, quantity, extent, or degree

serious stereo equipment

making serious money

serious drinking

seriousness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for serious

serious, grave, solemn, sedate, staid, sober, earnest mean not light or frivolous.

serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

Example Sentences

“You sound terrible.” “It's just a bad cold. Nothing serious.” For my brother, not going to college was a serious mistake. Crime is a serious problem in this neighborhood. The team is a serious contender for the championship. If you want to quit smoking, you have to make a serious effort. They had a serious conversation about their relationship. a serious novel about modern life The story raises serious questions about our system of justice. Dog shows are a serious business. She is a serious cyclist who rides 200 miles each week. See More

Recent Examples on the Web One such survey from last July found that nearly 7 in 10 Californians believe the effects of climate change have already begun, with 8 in 10 viewing it as a serious threat to California’s future. —

Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2023 Buy Now on Drizly: $30 Best Barbados White Rum The Real McCoy 3 Year Aged Barbados’ Foursquare distillery, helmed by Richard Seale, produces aged rums that send serious rummies into spasms of joy and frenzied hunts for limited edition bottles. —

Tony Sachs, Robb Report, 2 June 2023 There really aren’t any serious fissures in the Republican Party today. —

Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 2 June 2023 The movie tackles relationships and race but allows for serious fun, as in the iconic scene in which Harrelson tries to dunk. —

Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 2 June 2023 The sleek silhouette complements the bold, clashing colours that give the shoes their instant appeal, although getting your hands on a colourful pair will take some serious skill. —

Lauren Cunningham, refinery29.com, 2 June 2023 This conveys hope for more opportunities for the industry to see this as a serious art form as more respected filmmakers discover and explore its creative capabilities. —

Clayton Davis, Variety, 2 June 2023 Speaking of rods and reels, most serious gator hunters keep a short, heavy saltwater spinning rod and reel spooled with heavy braid handy in the boat, and it’s equipped with a 12/0 weighted treble hook, which can be cast over the gator to snag him. —

Will Brantley, Field & Stream, 1 June 2023 That is, nothing too serious or about what’s been on my mind. —

Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 1 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'serious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English seryows, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French serious, from Late Latin seriosus, alteration of Latin serius weighty, serious; probably akin to Old English swǣr heavy, sad

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of serious was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century