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
Now that there are new characters to invest in, the real story can begin in earnest.
—
Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025
His work in Hollywood began in earnest on the television side, with his first such credits coming as a writer, producer, and eventually director of a few episodes of Ironside in the late '60s.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 18 Jan. 2025
The fourth-quarter earnings season kicks off in earnest on Wednesday, whem the largest banks in the country, led by JPMorgan Chase , Citigroup and Goldman Sachs , will report, followed by Morgan Stanley and Bank of America on Thursday.
—Brian Evans,nick Wells, CNBC, 13 Jan. 2025
Big banks will begin reporting their results for the end of 2024 next week, as earnings season gets underway in earnest.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for in earnest 
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Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025
His work in Hollywood began in earnest on the television side, with his first such credits coming as a writer, producer, and eventually director of a few episodes of Ironside in the late '60s.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 18 Jan. 2025
The fourth-quarter earnings season kicks off in earnest on Wednesday, whem the largest banks in the country, led by JPMorgan Chase , Citigroup and Goldman Sachs , will report, followed by Morgan Stanley and Bank of America on Thursday.
—Brian Evans,nick Wells, CNBC, 13 Jan. 2025
Big banks will begin reporting their results for the end of 2024 next week, as earnings season gets underway in earnest.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for in earnest
Dictionary Entries Near in earnest
Cite this Entry
“In earnest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20earnest. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.
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