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.
It would be remiss of me to not take that responsibility seriously, but at the same time, that’s not why I set out to do it.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
Taking these symmetries seriously leads to a different interpretation of the Einstein–Rosen bridge.
From Science Daily • May 22, 2026
“Once you start passing that number, then you need to start thinking more seriously about it.”
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
Which means that if this latest deal falls apart, the Rays could seriously consider leaving the Tampa Bay region altogether, potentially 90 miles across Interstate 4 to Orlando.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
‘We won’t tell, Papa,’ she said seriously, so I copied her and did the same.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
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.
