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.
“Anyone who wants to work with us in earnest to solve our affordable housing and homelessness crisis, we want to work with. ... That said, his actions in and around the city leave us with questions.”
From Los Angeles Times
Rocket, one of the largest U.S. mortgage originators, entered the listings space in earnest with its purchase of Redfin, a brokerage and listings portal, in 2025.
From Barron's
Awards columnist Glenn Whipp breaks down ‘Marty Supreme’s’ opening box office, and initial audience reaction, as its Oscar campaign kicks off in earnest.
From Los Angeles Times
The fire drill for us lawyers began in earnest that day.
For two awkward weeks, Wiener started campaigning in earnest while Pelosi, de facto San Francisco royalty, readied her announcement.
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.
