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

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China practiced blockading Taiwan just last month by surrounding the island, which could, if executed in earnest, stop imports or exports from the country. —

Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024 Songs begin in earnest confessions of self-doubt before spiraling into tales of polycule politics. —

Brendan Menapace, SPIN, 5 Nov. 2024 By Stephanie Zacharek October 31, 2024 1:47 PM EDT In October, Oscar season begins in earnest—that means some of the year’s finest movies have already rolled out. —

Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024 An Unusual Hunt Walking off the farm onto a public Wildlife Management Area, the hunt began in earnest. —

Wes Siler, Outside Online, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for in earnest