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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of seriousness
Every season teams vie with utmost seriousness for a title that doesn’t do them any good at all when the next season comes just a few months later.
—
Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Anthropic’s founders, as a costly signal of their seriousness, ultimately pledged to give away eighty per cent of their wealth.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Room for Disagreement Art Basel’s leadership rejected the idea that the calm atmosphere meant a lack of commercial seriousness.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
None of this minimizes the seriousness of violence against officials or the possibility that an incident may ultimately meet a terrorism definition.
—Brian O'Neill, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2026
Despite the seriousness of the issue, the organization is preparing for its annual Mahjong for a Mission fundraiser — an event that blends elements of dominoes and poker.
—Bo Evans, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
The silliness betrays the seriousness.
—J. Aaron Sanders, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026
Some players must manage their annoyance at the lack of seriousness during this event.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
These contradictions were not lost on anyone and, in many ways, deepened the seriousness of our engagement.
—Catherine Taft, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Anthropic’s founders, as a costly signal of their seriousness, ultimately pledged to give away eighty per cent of their wealth.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Room for Disagreement Art Basel’s leadership rejected the idea that the calm atmosphere meant a lack of commercial seriousness.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
None of this minimizes the seriousness of violence against officials or the possibility that an incident may ultimately meet a terrorism definition.
—Brian O'Neill, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2026
Despite the seriousness of the issue, the organization is preparing for its annual Mahjong for a Mission fundraiser — an event that blends elements of dominoes and poker.
—Bo Evans, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
The silliness betrays the seriousness.
—J. Aaron Sanders, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026
Some players must manage their annoyance at the lack of seriousness during this event.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
These contradictions were not lost on anyone and, in many ways, deepened the seriousness of our engagement.
—Catherine Taft, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seriousness
Noun
-
The primary driver of these changes is the cephalad fluid shift — the upward movement of blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that is normally pulled toward our feet by gravity.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Neither did the other women obsessed not just with the lung-searing, leg-burning intensity of a cross-country ski race, but also with the gravity-defying, jaw-dropping sensation of flying.—
Rebecca Tauber,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The filmmaker leans pop-comic rather than petrifying in his final draft, opting for earnestness that smothers atmospheric dread.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
-
There are times in which Moonglow feels like an amateur production, even if the craft level remains high and Sandoval’s earnestness in capturing the genre’s essence feels admirable.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The comments section features a piquant blend of solemnity, mortification, tastelessness, and transphobia, which accords with Moreschi’s reception in his lifetime.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Since then, Máxima has reserved it for state dinners and high-level diplomatic events, combining it with contemporary styles that allow the rubies to stand out without stiffness or excessive solemnity.—
Marta Martínez Tato,
Vanity Fair,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Seriousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seriousness. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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