as in intentness
a mental state free of jesting or trifling
we knew from the doctor's seriousness that she didn't have good news
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Recent Examples of seriousness
Though soaps were not without their occasional levity, the earnest self-seriousness of their proceedings often prevented them from engaging in self-reflexive critique.
—
Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Beyond the incident’s seriousness, its precedent-setting disclosure is a warning to boards that underestimate or disregard shadow AI risk.
—Noah Barsky, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
In all seriousness, Clavicular is the gift that keeps on giving.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Also, Curley found Matthew Herman almost refusing to accept the seriousness of making unsupported accusations against judges.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
That has shaped a professional identity defined by credibility, breadth, and operational seriousness.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 15 May 2026
His grumpiness is legendary, his seriousness a source of humor for everyone around him.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 14 May 2026
Prosecutor Peter Lucido said Collins was charged as an adult due to the seriousness of the incident.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Garnett said the case demanded punishment that reflected both the seriousness of Perry’s death and Fleming’s extensive cooperation with investigators.
—Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Beyond the incident’s seriousness, its precedent-setting disclosure is a warning to boards that underestimate or disregard shadow AI risk.
—Noah Barsky, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
In all seriousness, Clavicular is the gift that keeps on giving.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Also, Curley found Matthew Herman almost refusing to accept the seriousness of making unsupported accusations against judges.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
That has shaped a professional identity defined by credibility, breadth, and operational seriousness.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 15 May 2026
His grumpiness is legendary, his seriousness a source of humor for everyone around him.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 14 May 2026
Prosecutor Peter Lucido said Collins was charged as an adult due to the seriousness of the incident.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Garnett said the case demanded punishment that reflected both the seriousness of Perry’s death and Fleming’s extensive cooperation with investigators.
—Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seriousness
Noun
-
The interior features upscale amenities, including privacy glass, zero-gravity comfort seats, and dedicated rear entertainment screens.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 May 2026
-
Scientists think that at the heart of most galaxies lies a black hole, and in M77, its central black hole's intense gravity is pulling gas inward.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Amid the early-spring lightness of the filmmaking, Fukada values softly plainspoken earnestness of emotion, as his repressed, recessive characters learn to listen to their own impulses in the general stillness that surrounds them.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 May 2026
-
Kapetan’s yearning, intimate voice is still front and center, mixing and modernizing elements of favorites of the aughts like Conor Oberst (his earnestness), Ben Kweller (his wit), and Sufjan Stevens (his beauty).—
Brendan Hay,
SPIN,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For McQuoid, that appears to mean making a film devoid of color, shooting the incoherent fight sequences against murky backdrops, and treating the origin story of secondary protagonist Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) with the solemnity of a biblical reading.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
-
There were plenty of moments of silliness to go along with the solemnity in Tuesday’s show.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Seriousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seriousness. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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