serious

[ seer-ee-uhs ]

/ ˈsɪər i əs /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR serious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of, showing, or characterized by deep thought.

of grave or somber disposition, character, or manner: a serious occasion; a serious man.

being in earnest; sincere; not trifling: His interest was serious.

requiring thought, concentration, or application: serious reading; a serious task.

weighty or important: a serious book; Marriage is a serious matter.

giving cause for apprehension; critical: The plan has one serious flaw.

Medicine/Medical. (of a patient's condition) having unstable or otherwise abnormal vital signs and other unfavorable indicators, as loss of appetite and poor mobility: patient is acutely ill.

noun

that which is of importance, grave, critical, or somber: You have to learn to separate the serious from the frivolous.

Origin of serious

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin sērius or Late Latin sēriōsus; see -ous, -ose¹

SYNONYMS FOR serious

2 sober, sedate, staid.

3 See earnest¹.

5 momentous, grave.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR serious ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR serious

3, 5 trivial.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR serious ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM serious

se·ri·ous·ness, noun half-se·ri·ous, adjective half-se·ri·ous·ly, adverb half-se·ri·ous·ness, noun

non·se·ri·ous, adjective non·se·ri·ous·ly, adverb non·se·ri·ous·ness, noun o·ver·se·ri·ous, adjective o·ver·se·ri·ous·ly, adverb o·ver·se·ri·ous·ness, noun qua·si-se·ri·ous, adjective qua·si-se·ri·ous·ly, adverb su·per·se·ri·ous, adjective su·per·se·ri·ous·ly, adverb su·per·se·ri·ous·ness, noun ul·tra·se·ri·ous, adjective ul·tra·se·ri·ous·ly, adverb ul·tra·se·ri·ous·ness, noun un·se·ri·ous, adjective un·se·ri·ous·ly, adverb un·se·ri·ous·ness, noun

Words nearby serious

serin, serine, seringa, seringapatam, seriocomic, serious, serious-minded, seriously, seriplane, serjeant, serjeant at arms

Example sentences from the Web for serious

The pulps brought new readers to serious fiction, making it less intimidating with alluring art and low prices.

How Pulp Fiction Saved Literature |Wendy Smith |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
I like the idea of Jon Hamm… There have been discussions—though I'm not sure how serious they've been.

‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS |Marlow Stern |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
The “nature of the crime” was too serious to release him, they said.

His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside |Justin Rohrlich |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Launched just 13 years ago, it quickly became a serious rival to MAS and a rising juggernaut in Asia.

The Presumed Crash of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 Is Nothing Like MH370 |Lennox Samuels |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

But today, these artists are as serious about making dope songs as they are about their faith.

Down With the King: Christianity Isn’t Hiding in Rap’s Closet |Stereo Williams |December 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But as his father was speaking again the student turned his serious face toward the pulpit.

Tess of the Storm Country |Grace Miller White
The empress had not waited for this serious reverse to claim from France the promised aid.

A Popular History of France From The Earliest Times |Francois Pierre Guillaume Guizot
The deputy postmaster general took a serious view of the effect of the proposed relinquishment of the inland postage.

The History of the Post Office in British North America |William Smith
The work is a serious attempt to grapple with these great questions, and is as important on its ethical as on its artistic side.

An Introduction to the Study of Browning |Arthur Symons
Foster's life was more than once in serious danger, but they kept right on and never showed the slightest fear.

The Abolitionists |John F. Hume

British Dictionary definitions for serious

serious

/ (ˈsɪərɪəs) /

adjective

grave in nature or disposition; thoughtful a serious person

marked by deep feeling; in earnest; sincere is he serious or joking?

concerned with important matters a serious conversation

requiring effort or concentration a serious book

giving rise to fear or anxiety; critical a serious illness

informal worthy of regard because of substantial quantity or quality serious money; serious wine

informal extreme or remarkable a serious haircut

Derived forms of serious

seriousness, noun

Word Origin for serious

C15: from Late Latin sēriōsus, from Latin sērius; probably related to Old English swǣr gloomy, Gothic swers esteemed

Medical definitions for serious

serious

[ sîr′ē-əs ]

adj.

Being of such import as to cause anxiety, as of a physical condition.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

serious

adjective

noun

Origin of serious

SYNONYMS FOR serious

ANTONYMS FOR serious

OTHER WORDS FROM serious

Words nearby serious

Example sentences from the Web for serious

British Dictionary definitions for serious

adjective

Derived forms of serious

Word Origin for serious

Medical definitions for serious

adj.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

serious

adjective

noun

Origin of serious

SYNONYMS FOR serious

ANTONYMS FOR serious

OTHER WORDS FROM serious

Words nearby serious

Words related to serious

Example sentences from the Web for serious

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for serious

adjective

Derived forms of serious

Word Origin for serious

Medical definitions for serious

adj.

British Dictionary definitions for serious