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

The company and its leadership acknowledged the seriousness of the apparent violations as part of the settlement.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

District judge Briony Clarke said the case must be sent to the Crown Court because of its seriousness.

From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said the "deeply concerning" allegations against Sullivan must be "treated with the utmost seriousness" and "investigated by the relevant authorities".

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

In a nod to the seriousness of the situation, three federal lawmakers representing California have appealed to the Trump administration to issue a disaster declaration over the incident.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

“She is an excellent headmistress,” Penelope said in all seriousness, but for some reason the remark made her parents laugh.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• enormity
• gravity
• importance
• significance
• urgency