as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner
I'll accept only an earnest apology from you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in intentness
a mental state free of jesting or trifling
I am in deadly earnest about this marriage proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of earnest
Olivia Waite, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
But in the end, whether Bishop was ever earnest or was always running an elaborate con is beside the point for Dixon.
—David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
News Desk, Artforum, 10 Sep. 2024
What's next: Construction of the new span is expected to start in earnest in 2027, with the bridge closed to traffic until completion sometime in 2031.
—Kale Williams, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for earnest
Adjective
In the first, the scrappy Italian American reporter Nick falls for Andy, the earnest, hapless son of a press mogul.
—Olivia Waite, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
But in the end, whether Bishop was ever earnest or was always running an elaborate con is beside the point for Dixon.
—David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
Noun
On her release, Horn turned in earnest to these sculptures, which were themed around the contact between the individual and their environment.
—News Desk, Artforum, 10 Sep. 2024
What's next: Construction of the new span is expected to start in earnest in 2027, with the bridge closed to traffic until completion sometime in 2031.
—Kale Williams, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for earnest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earnest
Adjective
-
The Catholic Church opened the solemn Lenten season without the pope's participation.—
Bradford Betz,
Fox News,
6 Mar. 2025
-
Pope Misses Start of Lent The Catholic Church began the solemn Lenten season on Wednesday without Pope Francis because of his ongoing hospitalization.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Equip yourself with these guidelines from the NWS to navigate wet roads and avoid hazards: Beware of rapid water flow: During heavy rain, avoid playing near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
The Mercury News,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Despite the threat of serious tariff increases by the Trump administration DHL’s aggregated baseline forecast calls for global trade volumes to grow in that period at a compound annual rate of 3.1 percent.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Lilian laughed, but Dr. Fenton remained stern, only nodding at Lilian’s understanding.—
Yiyun Li,
The New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Waves of anti-Tesla and Elon Musk protests ripple throughout Bay Area Related Articles With few options, Bay Area Democrats in Congress oppose Trump with stern letters, town halls and protest California’s first zero-emission car mandates are coming.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The instrument seeks out planets by detecting the subtle wobble of stars as the gravity of orbiting planets tug on their stellar hosts, known as the radial velocity technique.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Francis’ doctors told reporters on Feb. 21 that the pope authorized them to clearly explain the gravity of his situation, in detail, and their regular medical bulletins have suggested that Francis is comfortable with such information being in the public domain.—
Nicole Winfield,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Earnest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earnest. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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