seriously
Americanadverb
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in a serious manner.
He shook his head seriously.
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to an alarmingly grave extent.
seriously ill.
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with genuine, earnest intent; sincerely.
Seriously, kids, we have to get home before dark.
adverb
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in a serious manner or to a serious degree
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informal extremely or remarkably
seriously tall
Etymology
Origin of seriously
Explanation
When you do something seriously, you do it earnestly or thoughtfully. If you seriously consider walking the Appalachian Trail, it means that you put real effort and thought into contemplating such a trip. If your boss speaks seriously to you, you know she means what she's saying, and if you think seriously about what a fortune teller told you, it means that you really consider what she said your future might bring. You can also use seriously to mean significantly, or to a worrying degree, like being seriously ill with the flu. Informally, seriously also means very or truly, like when you are seriously hungry.
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.
"She masters that American absolutely beautiful accent that she does," Mielewska, who worked with Byrne on the 2022 comedy "Seriously Red", told AFP at her home in Sydney's leafy north.
From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026
Seriously, there’s a pretty large gap between what voters would like to see happen and what a governor — any governor — can plausibly deliver.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2026
Suffolk has recently been identified by the Environment Agency as a Seriously Water Stressed Area, which means its long-term water security is under threat.
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
Given the anxiety-inducing state of the Dodgers bullpen, the notion that they might not be able to find a spot to use Kershaw leaves only one question: Seriously?
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 6, 2025
“Nope. But then I thought I'd stick around for you. Seriously, once I started watching the game? Man. Now I know what the hype is all about. You're a monster out there.”
From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely
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.
