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serious

adjective
se·​ri·​ous | \ ˈsir-ē-əs How to pronounce serious (audio) \

Definition of serious

1 : thoughtful or subdued in appearance or manner : sober a quiet, serious girl
2a : requiring much thought or work serious study
b : of or relating to a matter of importance a serious play
3a : not joking or trifling : being in earnest a serious question
b archaic : pious
c : deeply interested : devoted a serious musician
4a : not easily answered or solved serious objections
b : having important or dangerous possible consequences a serious injury
5 : excessive or impressive in quality, quantity, extent, or degree serious stereo equipment making serious money serious drinking
Other Words from serious Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about serious

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Other Words from serious

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

serious, solemn, and earnest mean not funny or not playful. serious means being concerned or seeming to be concerned about really important things. He's a serious student. solemn is used for dignity along with complete seriousness. The preacher is always very solemn. earnest means that someone is sincere and has serious intentions. She's an earnest, diligent student.

Examples of serious in a Sentence

“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.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 For most of its existence, O’Connor annually had been a serious contender but simply hadn’t gotten over the hump. — Terrence Thomas, ExpressNews.com, "Volleyball: Burning questions for 2019," 4 Aug. 2019 Her husband was taken to an area hospital with several serious injuries, Schulte said. — Loyd Brumfield, Dallas News, "DeSoto woman says she shot husband in self-defense, but police doubt her story," 3 Aug. 2019 The two have long denied a romance, but paparazzi and fans seem to keep catching them in some serious PDA sessions. — Jasmine Gomez, Seventeen, "Shawn Mendes Deletes Social Media After Camila Cabello Make-out Pictures Surface," 2 Aug. 2019 One suffered a broken leg, the other had no serious injuries. — Bruce Vielmetti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Teen with 9 prior violations charged in crash that injured four, including child bystanders," 2 Aug. 2019 But serious side effects of hormonal contraceptives, especially birth control pills, are very rare. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "Is Over-the-Counter Birth Control Really a Good Idea?," 2 Aug. 2019 More serious problems include irreversible peripheral vision loss or complete impairment. — Vogue, "Are LED Masks Dangerous? Dermatologists Weigh in on Instagram’s Favorite Face Mask," 1 Aug. 2019 In several other cases, Harris’ attorneys defended convictions that had serious problems, including one in which a prosecutor allowed false testimony in court. — Casey Tolan, The Mercury News, "Democratic debate: Fact-checking the attacks on Kamala Harris’ criminal justice record," 1 Aug. 2019 For decades, Baltimore has had a serious heroin problem concentrated among poor black people. — The Economist, "Baltimore needs help to fix its crime problems," 1 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'serious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of serious

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for serious

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

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More Definitions for serious

serious

adjective
How to pronounce serious (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of serious

: having an important or dangerous possible result
: involving or deserving a lot of thought, attention, or work
: giving a lot of attention or energy to something

See the full definition for serious in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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