Earnest
adjective
Serious and sincere, not playful or joking.
She was in earnest about wanting to make the world a better place.
Often appears as...
- in all earnest
- with earnest intent
noun
Seriousness or sincerity.
She accepted his proposal with an earnest.
Often appears as...
- in earnest
- approach with earnest
noun
A payment given as a guarantee that an obligation will be met.
He paid an earnest of $5000 to secure the house.
Often appears as...
- pay an earnest
- secure with an earnest
adjective
Serious and sincere, not playful or joking.
She was in earnest about wanting to make the world a better place.
Often appears as...
- in all earnest
- with earnest intent
noun
Seriousness or sincerity.
She accepted his proposal with an earnest.
Often appears as...
- in earnest
- approach with earnest
noun
A payment given as a guarantee that an obligation will be met.
He paid an earnest of $5000 to secure the house.
Often appears as...
- pay an earnest
- secure with an earnest
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Not playful
Use 'earnest' to describe someone's behavior when they are not joking and mean what they say.
His apology was in earnest; he really was remorseful.
Pro Tip 2/3Convey respect
'Earnest' often shows respect for the subject or situation being discussed due to the sincere approach.
Her earnest speech at the ceremony moved everyone.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional weight
When someone speaks in earnest, they convey a sense of importance and concern.
Listen to me in earnest; this matter affects us all.
Pro Tip 1/3Not playful
Use 'earnest' to describe someone's behavior when they are not joking and mean what they say.
His apology was in earnest; he really was remorseful.
Pro Tip 2/3Convey respect
'Earnest' often shows respect for the subject or situation being discussed due to the sincere approach.
Her earnest speech at the ceremony moved everyone.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional weight
When someone speaks in earnest, they convey a sense of importance and concern.
Listen to me in earnest; this matter affects us all.
Pro Tip 1/3Not playful
Use 'earnest' to describe someone's behavior when they are not joking and mean what they say.
His apology was in earnest; he really was remorseful.
Pro Tip 2/3Convey respect
'Earnest' often shows respect for the subject or situation being discussed due to the sincere approach.
Her earnest speech at the ceremony moved everyone.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional weight
When someone speaks in earnest, they convey a sense of importance and concern.
Listen to me in earnest; this matter affects us all.
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Video examples
Rescuing the UK's Rarest...
programming earnest last year and we had our first litter of four kittens then pleased to say we've had another litter of four kittens this year and we've always had another little two this year so far as well so it's all going really well which is really really important for the species and the kittens themselves are really lovely as well to look at and realistically can you see them
Video examples
A Story of Community and...
for a world of and not ours too often progress is pitted as a false choice against tradition versus innovation past versus future but if you look at the history of civilization all innovations start as an earnest attempt to preserve our most cherished human traditions and at the center of that is food and food
Video examples
Nationalism vs....
that the truth mattered. So if you believe in a reality, then what you write is information. There was a belief that that information should connect to reality in a real way, and if you wrote a headline, it was a serious, earnest attempt to reflect something that had actually happened.
Video examples
How humanity can reach...
when the space program began in earnest, people would have said, "That's not possible"? Well, the reason it's possible today has a lot to do with the consumer, and the very fact that you're watching me. You're watching me over a high-speed internet,
Video examples
Stephen Burt: Why people...
Of earnest grasping, would, if it were cold And in the icy silence of the tomb, So haunt thy days and chill thy dreaming nights That thou would wish thine own heart dry of blood So in my veins red life might stream again,
Video examples
Emily Ainsworth: Inside...
expression on his face when he entered the ring for the first time so the seriousness of his face and I realized that he hadn't been messing around he'd been preparing in deadly earnest for one of the most life
Video examples
Life's third act - Jane...
inside old earnest as opposed to looking at it from the outside fear subsides you realize you're still yourself maybe even more so you know Picasso once said it takes a long time to become young I don't want
Video examples
Elizabeth Zion: The need...
to raise my two sisters and I along with my two brothers alone. There is not one day I have not heard her beg God for the strength to raise us. Her earnest prayers have been the backdrop of my sleep
Video examples
The real meaning of soul...
vital and yet vitality is exactly but they seem to lack when listed this way it's as though they're weighed down by earnestness grounded by gravity which might be why a sense of humor is absent
Video examples
Baby Squirrels Nesting PIPE...
by eight weeks they're exploring their new world in earnest a young squirrels first missions outside the nest are fraught with danger in this new world as much to be
Video examples
Rescuing the UK's Rarest...
programming earnest last year and we had our first litter of four kittens then pleased to say we've had another litter of four kittens this year and we've always had another little two this year so far as well so it's all going really well which is really really important for the species and the kittens themselves are really lovely as well to look at and realistically can you see them
Video examples
A Story of Community and...
for a world of and not ours too often progress is pitted as a false choice against tradition versus innovation past versus future but if you look at the history of civilization all innovations start as an earnest attempt to preserve our most cherished human traditions and at the center of that is food and food
Video examples
Nationalism vs....
that the truth mattered. So if you believe in a reality, then what you write is information. There was a belief that that information should connect to reality in a real way, and if you wrote a headline, it was a serious, earnest attempt to reflect something that had actually happened.
Video examples
How humanity can reach...
when the space program began in earnest, people would have said, "That's not possible"? Well, the reason it's possible today has a lot to do with the consumer, and the very fact that you're watching me. You're watching me over a high-speed internet,
Video examples
Stephen Burt: Why people...
Of earnest grasping, would, if it were cold And in the icy silence of the tomb, So haunt thy days and chill thy dreaming nights That thou would wish thine own heart dry of blood So in my veins red life might stream again,
Video examples
Emily Ainsworth: Inside...
expression on his face when he entered the ring for the first time so the seriousness of his face and I realized that he hadn't been messing around he'd been preparing in deadly earnest for one of the most life
Video examples
Life's third act - Jane...
inside old earnest as opposed to looking at it from the outside fear subsides you realize you're still yourself maybe even more so you know Picasso once said it takes a long time to become young I don't want
Video examples
Elizabeth Zion: The need...
to raise my two sisters and I along with my two brothers alone. There is not one day I have not heard her beg God for the strength to raise us. Her earnest prayers have been the backdrop of my sleep
Video examples
The real meaning of soul...
vital and yet vitality is exactly but they seem to lack when listed this way it's as though they're weighed down by earnestness grounded by gravity which might be why a sense of humor is absent
Video examples
Baby Squirrels Nesting PIPE...
by eight weeks they're exploring their new world in earnest a young squirrels first missions outside the nest are fraught with danger in this new world as much to be
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Barack Obama
American President
It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun. Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today.
Quote examples
Charles Spurgeon
British Clergyman
Occasionally, some brother sings very earnestly through his nose, often disturbing those around him, but it does not matter how the voice sounds to the ears of man. What is important is how the heart sounds to the ears of God.
Quote examples
Charles Dickens
English Novelist
Whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do it well; whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself completely; in great aims and in small I have always thoroughly been in earnest.
Quote examples
Confucius
Chinese Philosopher
To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
Quote examples
Benjamin Disraeli
British Statesman
What is earnest is not always true; on the contrary, error is often more earnest than truth.
Quote examples
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
German Writer
Deeply earnest and thoughtful people stand on shaky footing with the public.
Quote examples
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French Writer
We seldom praise anyone in good earnest, except such as admire us.
Quote examples
Marcus Garvey
Jamaican Publisher
Men who are in earnest are not afraid of consequences.
Quote examples
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian Leader
I am a humble but very earnest seeker after truth.
Quote examples
Richard Wagner
German Composer
Life is earnest - and always has been.
Quote examples
Barack Obama
American President
It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun. Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today.
Quote examples
Charles Spurgeon
British Clergyman
Occasionally, some brother sings very earnestly through his nose, often disturbing those around him, but it does not matter how the voice sounds to the ears of man. What is important is how the heart sounds to the ears of God.
Quote examples
Charles Dickens
English Novelist
Whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do it well; whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself completely; in great aims and in small I have always thoroughly been in earnest.
Quote examples
Confucius
Chinese Philosopher
To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
Quote examples
Benjamin Disraeli
British Statesman
What is earnest is not always true; on the contrary, error is often more earnest than truth.
Quote examples
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
German Writer
Deeply earnest and thoughtful people stand on shaky footing with the public.
Quote examples
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French Writer
We seldom praise anyone in good earnest, except such as admire us.
Quote examples
Marcus Garvey
Jamaican Publisher
Men who are in earnest are not afraid of consequences.
Quote examples
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian Leader
I am a humble but very earnest seeker after truth.
Quote examples
Richard Wagner
German Composer
Life is earnest - and always has been.
Example 1 of 10
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