in earnest

idiom

: 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.

: 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

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.

His hiring ends a coaching search that began in earnest following Malzahn’s departure. —

Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Dec. 2024 As winter sets in, Russia’s sustained campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which began in earnest last March, will likely take a heavy toll. —

Elie Tenenbaum, Foreign Affairs, 3 Dec. 2024 Only then can the community policing reform begin in earnest. —

David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 22 Nov. 2024 Teams are presently free to negotiate with domestic free agents, though Rosenthal's report suggests those talks have yet to heat up in earnest. —

Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for in earnest