in earnest
Idioms-
With purposeful or sincere intent, as in We settled down to study in earnest . [c. a.d. 1000]
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Also, in dead earnest . Serious, determined, as in We thought he was joking, but he was in earnest , or I'm in dead earnest about selling the business . In the variant, from the late 1800s, dead means “completely” or “thoroughly” and is used purely for emphasis. [c. a.d. 1000]
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.
In earnest, Imperioli added, “hate and ignorance is not a legitimate point of view ... it’s called dehumanization.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2023
In earnest, I just caught the bug, baby!
From New York Times • Apr. 11, 2022
In earnest, Walker had already done his work a few weeks earlier in Park City, Utah, where his wife Erin’s parents have a home and where Harmon also has a vacation house.
From Golf Digest • Jul. 31, 2016
In earnest and in fact: Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown unveiled a giant clock, complete with an image of Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, counting down the minutes to the 28 November premiere.
From The Guardian • Oct. 13, 2012
I couldna wander near yon woods That saw us oft caressing, And on our heads let fa' their buds In earnest o' their blessing.
From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume IV. The Songs of Scotland of the Past Half Century by Rogers, Charles
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.
