SERIOUS Synonyms: 183 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'serious' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of serious are earnest , grave , sedate , sober , solemn , and staid . While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," serious implies a concern for what really matters. // a serious play about social injustice

Q: In what contexts can 'earnest' take the place of 'serious'?

Although the words earnest and serious have much in common, earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose. // an earnest reformer

Q: When would 'grave' be a good substitute for 'serious'?

While in some cases nearly identical to serious , grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude. // read the proclamation in a grave voice

Q: When is it sensible to use 'sedate' instead of 'serious'?

While the synonyms sedate and serious are close in meaning, sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness. // remained sedate amid the commotion

Q: Where would 'sober' be a reasonable alternative to 'serious'?

The words sober and serious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity. // a sober look at the state of our schools

Q: When might 'solemn' be a better fit than 'serious'?

The synonyms solemn and serious are sometimes interchangeable, but solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity. // a sad and solemn occasion

Q: When is 'staid' a more appropriate choice than 'serious'?

In some situations, the words staid and serious are roughly equivalent. However, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint. // a quiet and staid community

serious

adjective

ˈsir-ē-əs

Definition of serious

as in solemn

not joking or playful in mood or manner I'm serious when I say that no one should be walking in that neighborhood at night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in important

having a matter of importance as its topic a very serious film that dealt with the aftermath of the Gulf War

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dangerous

involving potential loss or injury a serious accident

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word serious different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of serious are earnest, grave, sedate, sober, solemn, and staid. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

In what contexts can earnest take the place of serious?

Although the words earnest and serious have much in common, earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

When would grave be a good substitute for serious?

While in some cases nearly identical to serious, grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

When is it sensible to use sedate instead of serious?

While the synonyms sedate and serious are close in meaning, sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

Where would sober be a reasonable alternative to serious?

The words sober and serious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When might solemn be a better fit than serious?

The synonyms solemn and serious are sometimes interchangeable, but solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

When is staid a more appropriate choice than serious?

In some situations, the words staid and serious are roughly equivalent. However, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of serious As public interest grows and the federal government takes a closer look, Big Pharma is paying attention — and putting serious money behind it. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Aug. 2026 Another 2024 meta-analysis in JAMA Psychiatry found that the 4 percent of people who did have serious problems also had preexisting neuropsychiatric disorders. — Dawn Fallik, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2026 On top of that, IRBs have little serious oversight themselves. — Angus Chen, STAT, 11 Aug. 2026 The news about Bryant comes as the Bears deal with several less serious injuries. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for serious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for serious

Adjective

Both are powerful spots of natural beauty and deep cultural significance, but for a less solemn outing, the little islet of Ojima sits neatly between the two.

— Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026
After seeing corrupt cops rewarded with medals and politics debase his best friend, now the courts can’t even be trusted to perform their solemn duty.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of solemn

Adjective

That’s important for Cyprus because under an existing agreement, Cypriot energy consumers would have to put up as much as 63% of the cable’s construction cost, meaning a significant jump in electricity prices.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
As artificial intelligence revolutionizes how tasks are completed, many people are pleading their cases for why their jobs are important.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of important

Adjective

Wu said that the fungus mostly affects patients with severe underlying medical conditions who require complex medical care.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
What to read next To have any realistic chance of seeing the northern lights during the eclipse, Earth would need to be in the grip of a severe geomagnetic storm.

— Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of severe

Adjective

Fires are often started illegally by plantation owners or traditional farmers to clear land for planting, and those burns periodically blanket parts of Southeast Asia in hazardous haze.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
Marylanders are no stranger to environmental injustice; communities of color and low-income areas are disproportionately impacted by proximity to hazardous facilities.

— Adrianne Fantasia, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of hazardous

Adjective

Choosing September as the initial sales peak allows Apple to monopolize freight capacity before earnest holiday shipping begins.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Lively farm animals populate the backgrounds against which Guille and Belinda confidently perform their silly and earnest singing and dancing.

— Manahil Tahira, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of earnest

Adjective

The cushion cut cocktail rings give major Taylor energy, which is why they're beloved by Swifties and beyond.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Speraw highlights women's volleyball as America's largest girls' team sport, yet commercially underdeveloped, presenting a huge opportunity for growth and major sponsorship.

— Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of major

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“Serious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serious. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of serious

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