Trivia Time

Who popularized the word earnest in the play The Importance of Being Earnest?

Test Your Knowledge

earnest

¹ American  

[ur-nist] / ˈɜr nɪst /

adjective

1. serious and zealous in intention, purpose, or effort.

   an earnest worker.

   Synonyms:

   ambitious, industrious, determined, purposeful, intent, fervent

   Antonyms:

   frivolous

2. showing depth and sincerity of feeling.

   earnest words; an earnest entreaty.

3. seriously important; demanding or receiving serious attention.

---

noun

1. seriousness and zealousness.

   to speak in earnest.

earnest ² American  

[ur-nist] / ˈɜr nɪst /

noun

1. a portion of something, given or done in advance as a pledge of the remainder.

2. Law. earnest money.

3. anything that gives pledge, promise, or indication of what is to follow.

---

earnest ¹ British  

/ ˈɜːnɪst /

adjective

1. serious in mind or intention

   an earnest student

2. showing or characterized by sincerity of intention

   an earnest promise

3. demanding or receiving serious attention

---

noun

1. seriousness

2. with serious or sincere intentions

earnest ² British  

/ ˈɜːnɪst /

noun

1. a part or portion of something given in advance as a guarantee of the remainder

2. Also called: earnest money.  contract law something given, usually a nominal sum of money, to confirm a contract

3. any token of something to follow; pledge; assurance

---

earnest Idioms  

1. see in earnest.

---

Synonym Usage

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

Derived Forms

• earnestness
  noun
• earnestly
  adverb

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.

Example Sentences

For its escort operation, known as Earnest Will, the U.S. publicized routes in advance because it thought the presence of the Navy would deter Iran.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

Mines were a threat during that operation -- dubbed Earnest Will -- and could be again.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

First performed in 1895, The Importance of being Earnest follows two male friends who adopt fictional personas.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2025

Earnest and genuine in its storytelling, it's populated with fully realized characters who only somewhat adhere to Schur’s closet of personality types.

From Salon • Nov. 21, 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

Related Words

• ardent
• diligent
• fervent
• heartfelt
• impassioned
• passionate
• purposeful
• sincere
• urgent