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serious

ser·i·ous

serious

 
 
pronunciation:
si ri s
features:
Word Combinations (adjective), Word Explorer
part of speech: adjective
definition 1: marked by careful, weighty thinking.
She gave his application a serious review.He'll have to make a serious decision about this.
synonyms:
painstaking, thoughtful
antonyms:
cursory, superficial
similar words:
businesslike, careful, contemplative, earnest, meditative, meticulous, ruminative, sincere, solid
definition 2: not lighthearted; sober; grave.
He was a man with a serious nature and seldom joked.Because it was a serious occasion, the children were not allowed to play and were made to sit quietly.I saw her serious expression and wondered what was wrong.
synonyms:
grave, sober
antonyms:
airy, amusing, cheerful, comic, comical, facetious, frivolous, funny, giddy, humorous, idle, light, lighthearted, merry, playful, unserious
similar words:
earnest, grim, humorless, severe, solemn, somber, staid, unsmiling
definition 3: not trivial; weighty.
Pollution is a serious matter.Armed robbery is a serious offense.
synonyms:
crucial, grave, heavy, important, weighty
antonyms:
frivolous, idle, light, minor, negligible, ridiculous, superficial, trifling, trivial, unimportant
similar words:
consequential, deep, earnest, far-reaching, fateful, great, momentous, significant, vital
definition 4: having potentially dire consequences; dangerous; perilous.
He has a serious heart condition.The company is facing a serious financial crisis.Tuberculosis is a serious disease.
synonyms:
acute, alarming, critical, dangerous, exigent, grave, perilous
antonyms:
minor
similar words:
bad, crucial, deep, fearful, harmful, hazardous, heavy, menacing, severe
definition 5: earnest, thoughtful, or determined; not frivolous, silly, or flighty.
She's a serious student and works very hard at her studies.
synonyms:
dedicated, determined, earnest
antonyms:
frivolous, half-hearted, indifferent
definition 6: said, done, or acting in earnest; not joking.
I thought she was just kidding about being afraid of the dark, but she was quite serious.This time the neighbor's threat about the noise was serious and he called the police.You can't be serious about paying for all this yourself. Let me pay for part of it at least.
synonyms:
earnest, genuine
antonyms:
facetious
similar words:
honest, sincere
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derivations: seriously (adv.), seriousness (n.)
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