seriousness

American  

[seer-ee-uhs-nis] / ˈsɪər i əs nɪs /

noun

1. earnest or sincere character or attitude.

   The proposal was talked about, but I can't say with how much seriousness it was discussed.

2. solemn or somber character or attitude.

   Is that why your face is so grim—you're fighting to maintain seriousness and not laugh at the speaker’s name?

3. the quality of showing or requiring deep thought or concentration.

   The two chefs approach their gourmet cuisine with the pensive seriousness others might bring to a difficult math problem.

4. the quality of being important or weighty, or of giving cause for concern.

   We need educational tools that convey the seriousness of copyright infringement, as well as its consequences and penalties.

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Other Word Forms

• half-seriousness
  noun
• nonseriousness
  noun
• overseriousness
  noun
• superseriousness
  noun
• ultraseriousness
  noun
• unseriousness
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of seriousness

serious ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

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Explanation

Seriousness is a quality of being calmly intent, or serious. Your seriousness will serve you well when you're studying for an important test. You might talk about the seriousness of an argument between two friends, or the seriousness of your math teacher when she expects the class to pay attention. Sometimes seriousness implies a bit of worry, like when you ask about the seriousness of your grandmother's health problems. The noun seriousness comes from an adjective, serious, with a Latin root, serius, which means "weighty, important, or grave."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

seriousness

Police said their safeguards had limited the impact, but that these "do not diminish the seriousness of an AI system presenting fabricated information as though it came from a person with knowledge of a homicide."

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

Yet Mr. Sun’s approach is also singular for its blend of seriousness and whimsy, its combination of complicated structures and memorable melodies, and its commitment to both jazz tradition and sonic innovation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

I do not believe hot coffee carries an innate moral seriousness unavailable to iced.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

“In all seriousness, thank you for all the support. I’ll be back soon.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

“I don’t believe that, Mama,” Ben said with sudden seriousness.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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Related Words

• enormity
• gravity
• importance
• significance
• urgency

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