Synonyms for serious
- adjective
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Severe — important; weighty; not insignificant
severe, grave, critical, dangerous, important, grievous, life-threatening, great, gurt UK, bad, urgent, difficult, hard, stern, momentous, gross, sage dated
2. Earnest — without humor or expression of happiness; grave in manner or disposition
earnest, thoughtful, solemn, weighty, sincere, demure, awful, somber US, sombre UK, staid, pensive, devout, austere, saturnine
Other
substantial, serious-minded, desperate, alarming, formidable, considerate, ponderous, sad dated, lack-laughter dated
Definitions
- adj. 1
Without humor or expression of happiness; grave in manner or disposition.
It was a surprise to see the captain, who had always seemed so serious, laugh so heartily.
- adj. 2
Important; weighty; not insignificant.
This is a serious problem. We'll need our best experts.
- adj. 3
Really intending what is said (or planned, etc); in earnest; not jocular or deceiving.
He says he wants to buy the team, but is he serious?
Related words
- Word family
- seriously serious-minded serious-mindedness seriousness
From weakest to strongest
From the opposite of serious, on the left, to its strongest synonyms, on the right.
Choose the right word
Serious implies considerateness or reflection, and is opposed to jocose or sportive; as, serious and important concerns.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Example sentences
- important Tourism is important to the economy of my country.
- critical I can't understand why you are so critical of him.
- dangerous You shouldn't have gone to such a dangerous place.
- grave "This grave is your new home." "What do you mean?"
- thoughtful It's thoughtful of you to remind me of my promise.
- earnest He said in earnest that he would quit the company.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| serious | steady | |
| important | steady | |
| critical | rising | |
| dangerous | steady | |
| grave | steady | |
| thoughtful | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- bad1, sad1
- 4 letters
- hard1, sage1, gurt
- 5 letters
- great1, gross1, awful2, grave1, stern1, sober2, staid1
- 6 letters
- severe2, urgent2, solemn2, devout2, somber2, sombre, sedate2, demure2
- 7 letters
- sincere2, earnest2, austere2, weighty2, pensive2
- 8 letters
- critical3, alarming3, grievous2
- 9 letters
- important3, difficult3, dangerous3, desperate2, momentous3, ponderous3, saturnine, unplayful
- 10 letters
- thoughtful2, formidable4
- 11 letters
- substantial3, considerate4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (awful2 = 2 syllables).