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ser·i·ous
 serious
- pronunciation:
- si
ri
 s
- features:
- 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, merry, superficial
- similar words:
- businesslike, careful, contemplative, earnest, meditative, meticulous, ruminative, sincere, solid
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| definition 2: |
not lighthearted; sober; grave.
He was a man with a serious nature, who seldom laughed and never joked.Because it was a serious occasion, the children were not allowed to play and were made to sit quietly.- synonyms:
- earnest, grave, sober
- antonyms:
- airy, amusing, cheerful, comic, comical, facetious, frivolous, funny, giddy, humorous, idle, light, lighthearted, merry, playful, unserious
- similar words:
- grim, humorless, severe, solemn, somber, staid, unsmiling
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| definition 3: |
not trivial; important; weighty.
Pollution is a serious matter.Armed robbery is a serious offense.- synonyms:
- crucial, grave, heavy, important, weighty
- antonyms:
- comic, frivolous, idle, light, minor, negligible, ridiculous, superficial, trifling, trivial, unimportant
- similar words:
- consequential, deep, earnest, far-reaching, fateful, great, momentous, significant, vital
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| definition 4: |
causing apprehension or requiring immediate attention.
He has a serious heart condition.The company is facing a serious financial crisis.- synonyms:
- acute, alarming, critical, exigent, grave
- antonyms:
- minor
- similar words:
- bad, crucial, dangerous, deep, fearful, harmful, hazardous, heavy, menacing, perilous, severe
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| related words: |
austere, capital, critical, high, hopeless, important, literal, nasty, pressing, profound, real, solid, steady, thoughtful, tragic, urgent |
| derivations: |
seriously (adv.), seriousness (n.) |
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