earnestness

[ ur-nist-nis ]

noun

1. seriousness and zeal in intention, purpose, or effort:

   Socrates was a man of great moral earnestness, and exemplified in his own life some of the noblest virtues.

2. depth and sincerity of feeling:

   Speak with conviction and earnestness, and the people watching and listening will believe you.

Word History and Origins

Origin of earnestness¹

earnest ¹( def ) + -ness ( def )

Example Sentences

The earnestness is almost as overwhelming as the ambiance.

From Los Angeles Times

Still, the earnestness — Ronan and Harris Dickinson, seen briefly as a kind neighbor-turned-soldier, are pros at that — decidedly outweighs the unavoidable sense that we’re on a briskly engineered studio tour of character-building pluck.

From Los Angeles Times

Neither does “Happy’s Place,” even as it flirts with making the youthful earnestness of Escobedo's character into a joke.

From Salon

But Garfield, aided by his earnestness — and Britishness — more often comes across as a seeker, not a preacher.

From Los Angeles Times

The Republican senator and Democratic governor were chosen, in part, to deliver a dollop of Midwestern earnestness — and hopefully a few votes — from a region of the country that has often been crucial in determining the winner of the presidential race.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ardor
• devotion
• enthusiasm
• fervor
• firmness
• intensity
• sincerity
• solemnity
• tenacity
• urgency
• warmth
• zeal