in earnest
Idioms-
With purposeful or sincere intent, as in We settled down to study in earnest . [c. a.d. 1000]
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Also, in dead earnest . Serious, determined, as in We thought he was joking, but he was in earnest , or I'm in dead earnest about selling the business . In the variant, from the late 1800s, dead means “completely” or “thoroughly” and is used purely for emphasis. [c. a.d. 1000]
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.
Tech borrowing only kicked off in earnest last fall, when the megacap Big Tech companies known as hyperscalers started to voraciously issue debt.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
It started to build its stake in earnest last year, disclosing a 7% stake in the car rental company in May.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
If petrol prices start dropping in earnest, it could be a tangible sign for Americans that things are getting better.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
“If hostilities were to resume in earnest, we could see prices move towards $150 per barrel,” Rystad Energy estimates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
As if in reply, the wind gusted coldly and the rain began to beat down in earnest.
From "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman
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.
