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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 This jelly formula has that same bouncy vibe, delivering serious hydration with ingredients like jojoba seed oil. Allure Editors, Allure, 1 Mar. 2025 In San Diego, many serious rosarians fertilize with a plethora of fertilizers every two weeks commencing in mid-February through to mid-October. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2025 Of course, the film addresses such serious issues as alcohol addiction and poverty. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025 Monday's crash is the fifth serious aviation incident since late January, including the crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, D.C., between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane that left 67 dead. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for serious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serious
Adjective
  • Pope Misses Start of Lent The Catholic Church began the solemn Lenten season on Wednesday without Pope Francis because of his ongoing hospitalization.
    Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The Catholic Church opened the solemn Lenten season without the pope's participation.
    Bradford Betz, Fox News, 6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2025
  • But this year the 54-year-old stepped into what’s arguably the most challenging, complex, and coveted role in American musical theater, Mama Rose, in the equally as important midcentury Broadway musical Gypsy.
    The Glamour editors, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The 400-mile race is scheduled to start on Sunday after it was delayed by more than a month due to warm temperatures and a dangerous trail.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Freezing temperatures can endanger health, particularly of vulnerable groups like children and the elderly, whilst snow can lead to dangerous driving conditions.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Isolated, severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts are possible for the Baltimore area Wednesday.
    Matt Hubbard, Baltimore Sun, 2 Mar. 2025
  • But her origin story is compelling: Braverman was born in Ukraine, just weeks before the Chernobyl nuclear event, and was in severe respiratory distress soon after birth.
    John Werner, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Flyers fans are still waiting for Briere to take a big swing at a major name, something that could happen as soon as this summer.
    Kevin Kurz, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
  • But America is her biggest market, and the Pacific Palisades was supposed to be the first big U.S. flagship.
    Booth Moore, WWD, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning commute.
    Southern California Weather Report, Orange County Register, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The salad bar did not have time labels for potentially hazardous foods kept out of temperature control.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • At once cringeworthy and exceeding earnest, CHUCK AND BUCK was shot on digital with a shoe-string budget and received a much ballyhooed premiere 25 years ago at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Choosing that day was an intentional move, delegitimizing the mourning and remembrance of the Jewish community, especially considering Israel’s military response didn’t start in earnest until Oct. 10.
    Ellia M Torkian, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Losing Miller — both as a goal scorer and as a setup man — has blown a major hole in Vancouver’s attack, and in its centre depth.
    Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 5 Mar. 2025
  • If enacted, the federal government directly buying up crypto assets would be a first, signaling a major shift in fiscal strategy.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Serious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serious. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on serious

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