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
Yet, the brooms are out, and the cleanup has begun in earnest, creating a sense that NASCAR pushed away the off-track drama that has distracted the league.
—
Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
But libraries reported money didn’t start flowing to them in earnest until mid-January.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
The company created a succession planning committee in 2023, but the search began in earnest in 2024 when Disney enlisted James Gorman, who is currently Disney’s chairman and previously served as Morgan Stanley’s executive chairman, to lead the effort.
—Michelle Chapman, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
Most of us need to be saving in earnest for our retirements, and starting early is one of the best strategies for that.
—The Motley Fool, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in earnest
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Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
But libraries reported money didn’t start flowing to them in earnest until mid-January.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
The company created a succession planning committee in 2023, but the search began in earnest in 2024 when Disney enlisted James Gorman, who is currently Disney’s chairman and previously served as Morgan Stanley’s executive chairman, to lead the effort.
—Michelle Chapman, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
Most of us need to be saving in earnest for our retirements, and starting early is one of the best strategies for that.
—The Motley Fool, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in earnest
Cite this Entry
“In earnest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20earnest. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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