serious

[ seer-ee-uhs ]

adjective

1. of, showing, or characterized by deep thought.
2. of grave or somber disposition, character, or manner:

   a serious occasion; a serious man.

   Synonyms: staid, sedate, sober

3. being in earnest; sincere; not trifling:

   His interest was serious.

   Antonyms: trifling, frivolous

4. requiring thought, concentration, or application:

   serious reading; a serious task.

5. weighty or important:

   a serious book; Marriage is a serious matter.

   Synonyms: grave, momentous

   Antonyms: trivial

6. giving cause for apprehension; critical:

   The plan has one serious flaw.

7. Medicine/Medical. (of a patient's condition) having unstable or otherwise abnormal vital signs and other unfavorable indicators, as loss of appetite and poor mobility: patient is acutely ill.

noun

1. that which is of importance, grave, critical, or somber:

   You have to learn to separate the serious from the frivolous.

serious

/ ˈsɪərɪəs /

adjective

1. grave in nature or disposition; thoughtful

   a serious person

2. marked by deep feeling; in earnest; sincere

   is he serious or joking?

3. concerned with important matters

   a serious conversation

4. requiring effort or concentration

   a serious book

5. giving rise to fear or anxiety; critical

   a serious illness

6. informal.
   worthy of regard because of substantial quantity or quality

   serious money

   serious wine

7. informal.
   extreme or remarkable

   a serious haircut

Derived Forms

• ˈseriousness, noun

Other Words From

• se·ri·ous·ness noun
• half-se·ri·ous adjective
• half-se·ri·ous·ly adverb
• non·se·ri·ous adjective
• non·se·ri·ous·ly adverb
• o·ver·se·ri·ous adjective
• o·ver·se·ri·ous·ly adverb
• qua·si-se·ri·ous adjective
• qua·si-se·ri·ous·ly adverb
• su·per·se·ri·ous adjective
• su·per·se·ri·ous·ly adverb
• ul·tra·se·ri·ous adjective
• ul·tra·se·ri·ous·ly adverb
• un·se·ri·ous adjective
• un·se·ri·ous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of serious¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French serieux and Latin sērius “grave, earnest” or Late Latin sēriōsus; -ous, -ose ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of serious¹

C15: from Late Latin sēriōsus, from Latin sērius; probably related to Old English swǣr gloomy, Gothic swers esteemed

Synonym Study

See earnest ¹.

Example Sentences

While Gaetz escaped formal charges or sanction, his conduct is widely reported and not in serious doubt.

From Los Angeles Times

Corpus Christi College commissioned an independent serious incident review following the death.

From BBC

Mr Sharif was pressed by Mr Emlyn Jones KC: "When you beat Sara so hard with a cricket bat that you broke her spine, did you intend to cause her a really serious injury?"

From BBC

“I don’t think Hegseth is a serious person or a serious pick,” Rep. Pat Ryan, a New York Democrat and an Army veteran, told MSNBC.

From Los Angeles Times

But one senior former intelligence official told Politico that allies like Israel would still have "serious qualms" about Gabbard.

From Salon

Related Words

• dangerous
• deep
• difficult
• far-reaching
• grievous
• important
• major
• meaningful
• severe
• significant
• tough
• urgent