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

Derived Forms

• overseriousness
  noun
• half-seriousness
  noun
• nonseriousness
  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

Describing the punishment Southampton received as "ridiculous", Solak tried to downplay the seriousness of the club's cheating.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

“We take any threat to public health with the utmost seriousness, and we continue to work diligently alongside public health officials and food safety experts to ensure the integrity of our products.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026

“I am well aware of the seriousness of the allegations made against my son,” Vazquez wrote in his court declaration.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

It was shocking that allegations of such seriousness could be made about what was going on behind the scenes of such a big TV show.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

I wanted to show that I understood the seriousness of the matter and appreciated that I was the one he’d chosen to confide in.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• enormity
• gravity
• importance
• significance
• urgency