serious

[seer-ee-uhs] / ˈsɪər i əs /

ADJECTIVE

somber, humorless

Synonyms

STRONGEST

deliberate genuine honest severe sincere thoughtful

STRONG

sober

WEAK

austere bound bound and determined businesslike cold sober contemplative deadpan determined downbeat earnest funereal go for broke grave grim intent long-faced meditative no-nonsense pensive pokerfaced reflective resolute resolved sedate set solemn staid steady stern unhumorous unsmiling weighty

Antonyms

STRONGEST

deceptive dishonest false insincere misleading untrustworthy

WEAK

flippant funny happy light minor trivial unimportant unserious

ADJECTIVE

crucial, weighty

Synonyms

STRONGEST

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

WEAK

arduous fateful fell formidable grave grim hard heavy laborious meaning business menacing momentous no joke no laughing matter of consequence operose out for blood playing hard ball pressing smoking sobering strenuous strictly business threatening ugly unamusing unhumorous worrying

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm easy facile friendly insignificant little meaningless minor small trivial unimportant worthless

WEAK

flippant funny happy light unserious

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Many of the boys were "really serious" about their work and learned a lot from each other, said Munden.

From BBC

She’s encouraged her father to have more serious conversations about succession planning.

From The Wall Street Journal

Would the VAR have stepped in to show a red card to Digne for serious foul play with his late challenge on Jacob Murphy?

From BBC

He has wires in his lower leg bones holding them together, following a serious one picked up while running for the British relay team.

From BBC

"The team is maybe not sick, but it is in serious trouble. When it happens again and again like this, it's difficult."

From Barron's