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

Etymology

Origin of seriousness

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

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

"I would urge anybody who is assisting him, harbouring him, or helping him evade justice to consider the seriousness of this case and do the right thing," he said.

From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026

Instead of being treated with the seriousness they deserve, these topics are handled by the exhibition as opportunities for posturing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026

The school, Lungtenzampa Middle Secondary School in the capital Thimphu, said the situation was being treated with "the utmost seriousness".

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

“Nothing about the court’s finding regarding competency diminishes the seriousness of the loss or the pain experienced by those who knew and loved Mr. Handy.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026

Here was someone, a professor no less, treating her abuelo’s crazy ramblings with total seriousness.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• enormity
• gravity
• importance
• significance
• urgency