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half-serious

British  

adjective

  1. not entirely serious

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Example Sentences

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As the unfiltered Linda, Ms. Gangel might almost have been cast for her Hepburnesque, chisel-sharp cheekbones, but she brings wry humor to Linda’s half-serious, or mostly serious, critiques of the Seton ethos.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 19, 2026

And so, while the idea for the event started with a half-serious tweet earlier this year, it quickly won the backing of seven universities across Australia and New Zealand.

From BBC Sep. 21, 2023

“Can someone please spot a koala,” Marsh said in half-serious desperation as she and Skewes divided up the flashlights.

From Washington Post Jan. 13, 2022

“This is how I’m coping with disappointment,” he says, half-serious.

From Seattle Times Apr. 26, 2019

It got to the point that Trapper, half- joking, half-serious, posted updates on Crow outside the trainer’s office.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

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