earnestness
Americannoun
-
seriousness and zeal in intention, purpose, or effort.
Socrates was a man of great moral earnestness, and exemplified in his own life some of the noblest virtues.
-
depth and sincerity of feeling.
Speak with conviction and earnestness, and the people watching and listening will believe you.
Etymology
Origin of earnestness
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.
I arrived at Columbia in my 30s with the earnestness of a convert.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
So far, his low-key earnestness has struck a chord with the British public, with nearly 71% approving of him.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
Over time, however, they found that their partner became more caring when they maintained key traits like earnestness and an affinity for art.
From Slate • Sep. 25, 2025
He characterized the backlash against his song as an aversion to earnestness, one that no doubt existed at the time his single was climbing the charts.
From Salon • Aug. 13, 2025
Pinmei looked at Yishan, and his eyes gazed into hers with a rare earnestness.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
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.
