serious

adjective

ˈsir-ē-əs How to pronounce serious (audio)
Definition of seriousnext
1
as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner I'm serious when I say that no one should be walking in that neighborhood at night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in important
having a matter of importance as its topic a very serious film that dealt with the aftermath of the Gulf War

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury a serious accident

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Try This Instead

For
Try This
a serious injury
a significant injury
a severe injury
a substantial injury
a major injury
an intense injury
serious questions
legitimate questions
sincere questions
genuine questions
sensible questions
tough questions
a serious concern
a substantial concern
a significant concern
a considerable concern
a major concern
an important concern
serious doubts
immense doubts
strong doubts
severe doubts
massive doubts
a serious effort
a huge effort
a considerable effort
a substantial effort
a real effort
a sincere effort

Synonym Chooser

How is the word serious different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of serious are earnest, grave, sedate, sober, solemn, and staid. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

In what contexts can earnest take the place of serious?

Although the words earnest and serious have much in common, earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

When would grave be a good substitute for serious?

While in some cases nearly identical to serious, grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

When is it sensible to use sedate instead of serious?

While the synonyms sedate and serious are close in meaning, sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

Where would sober be a reasonable alternative to serious?

The words sober and serious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When might solemn be a better fit than serious?

The synonyms solemn and serious are sometimes interchangeable, but solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

When is staid a more appropriate choice than serious?

In some situations, the words staid and serious are roughly equivalent. However, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of serious The Mets’ prospects with experience in center field need more time in the minors before they can be considered serious options. —Will Sammon, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2025 Could this cause some serious anxiety, or even an existential crisis? —Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025 The most serious charge carries up to 10 years in prison, while the others have a five-year maximum term. —Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025 Age restrictions could impact the positives that social media brings, and still fall short of solving its more serious issues. —Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for serious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serious
  1. solemn
  2. important
  3. dangerous
  4. severe
  5. big
  6. hazardous
  7. earnest
  8. major
Adjective
  • In a solemn message, Dominican President Luis Abinader addressed the nation’s grief.
    — Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • In Ireland, however, St. Patrick’s Day remained a solemn day of observance with little revelry.
    — Bryan McGovern, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • This Milan Design Week was an important one for Louis Vuitton.
    — Liam Hess, Vogue, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Still, balance remains important.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of important
Adjective
  • Prioritising one competition in favour of another is a dangerous game to play in any case when the stakes are so high.
    — Mark Critchley, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The most immediate context for this comment is presumably both the backlash to Hogwarts Legacy and the ongoing backlash over Rowling’s views writ large regarding trans women being dangerous predators.
    — Aja Romano, Vox, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • Plaintiffs and the class face severe financial and academic hardship.
    — Filip Timotija, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The governor also recognized the extraordinary service of a former Army veteran who Newsom said faced severe struggles after serving his country.
    — Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of severe
Adjective
  • Heading them is none other than Robert Keller, who wasn’t killed after all, and now blames his big bro for abandoning him.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • But after the first episodes aired I was blown away about the magnitude of how big the show is.
    — Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of big
Adjective
  • Specialized drivers transporting hazardous materials or oversized loads can earn $75,750–$118,600 per year, while owner-operators may make $85,000–$100,000, excluding maintenance expenses.
    — Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Authorities raised the alert level, warning of the potential for further hazardous volcanic activity.
    — Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of hazardous
Adjective
  • One of the season’s main stories has focused on Rick (played by Walton Goggins), a morose middle-aged man vacationing with his earnest, wide-eyed girlfriend, Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood).
    — Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2025
  • There is an earnest warmth to him even when things get messy.
    — Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of earnest
Adjective
  • Now, new research raises major questions about the original K2-18b study — and, in fact, the answers could have considerable implications for the quest to find life beyond Earth as a whole.
    — Perri Thaler, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2025
  • For our analysis, access to travel was determined by the distance between each county center and the nearest major airport.
    — Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of major

Browse Nearby Words

series
serious
seriously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Serious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serious. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on serious

Nglish: Translation of serious for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

'Blue Moon,' 'Wolf Moon,' and Other Moons to Look for Throughout the Year
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name that thing flower edition
Name That Flower Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a...
See All