earnest
1 Americanadjective
-
serious and zealous in intention, purpose, or effort.
an earnest worker.
- Synonyms:
- ambitious, industrious, determined, purposeful, intent, fervent
- Antonyms:
- frivolous
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showing depth and sincerity of feeling.
earnest words; an earnest entreaty.
-
seriously important; demanding or receiving serious attention.
noun
noun
-
a portion of something, given or done in advance as a pledge of the remainder.
-
Law. earnest money.
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anything that gives pledge, promise, or indication of what is to follow.
adjective
-
serious in mind or intention
an earnest student
-
showing or characterized by sincerity of intention
an earnest promise
-
demanding or receiving serious attention
noun
-
seriousness
-
with serious or sincere intentions
noun
-
a part or portion of something given in advance as a guarantee of the remainder
-
Also called: earnest money. contract law something given, usually a nominal sum of money, to confirm a contract
-
any token of something to follow; pledge; assurance
Related Words
Earnest, resolute, serious, sincere imply having qualities of depth and firmness. Earnest implies having a purpose and being steadily and soberly eager in pursuing it: an earnest student. Resolute adds a quality of determination: resolute in defending the right. Serious implies having depth and a soberness of attitude that contrasts with gaiety and frivolity; it may include the qualities of both earnestness and resolution: serious and thoughtful. Sincere suggests genuineness, trustworthiness, and absence of superficiality: a sincere interest in music.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of earnest1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English erneste, Old English eornoste (adjective); Middle English ernest, Old English eornost (noun); cognate with Dutch, German ernest
Origin of earnest2
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English ernes(t), alteration of Old French erres, plural of erre “earnest money,” from Latin arr(h)a, short for arr(h)abō (perhaps by misunderstanding -bō as a future tense ending; cf. placebo ( def. )), from Greek arrhabṓn, from Semitic (compare Hebrew ʿērāvôn “security, pledge”); cf. arras 2
Explanation
If you are earnest, it means you are serious about something. Your parents might not want you to drop out of school to follow some fly-by-night dream, but if you're earnest about wanting a career in show biz, they'll support you. If you are earnest, you pursue your purpose in a steady, sincere, and eager way. The phrase in earnest uses earnest as a noun, as in, "Once you stop fooling around and start studying in earnest, you'll find you learn the material quickly." Oscar Wilde's classic play The Importance of Being Earnest plays on the fact that Ernest is also a man's name.
Vocabulary lists containing earnest
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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List 1
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"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act I
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The United States previously carried out a tanker escort mission -- dubbed Operation Earnest Will -- in the same region to protect ships from attacks by Tehran's forces during the Iran-Iraq war, between 1980-88.
From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026
Navy ships escorted tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as part of Operation Earnest Will for more than a year in the late 1980s, when Iran and Iraq were at war and attacking merchant vessels.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
His collection included books and manuscripts, including a first edition copy of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, inscribed by the author to his publisher, which fetched £138,600.
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2025
As Paxton continued, Ella Maulding and Konner Earnest held hands and nodded their approval from the convention hall’s front row.
From Salon • May 28, 2024
On Wednesday evenings twice a month she attended a meeting of her book circle, five other women who enjoyed discussing Benito Cereno, Flowers of Evil, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Jane Eyre.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
