in earnest

idiom

1

: in an earnest or serious way

The search began in earnest when the police arrived.

After light showers during the day, it began to rain in earnest in the evening.

It's hard to tell if he's making this proposal in earnest.

2

: not fooling : serious and sincere

We thought he was joking at first, but then we realized that he was in earnest.

Examples of in earnest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Jury deliberations would likely begin in earnest the week of Jan. 27. —Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025

Working with an external recruiter, Arenal have compiled a list of candidates, with interviews set to begin in earnest once the window has closed in February. —James McNicholas, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025

The corporate earnings season kicks off in earnest this week, led by the six major U.S. banks. —Fred Imbert, CNBC, 12 Jan. 2025

Expect to hear more from Samsung about its hybrid cooling fridges in early January when the big CES trade show kicks off in earnest from Las Vegas. —Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 19 Dec. 2024