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a serious injury
a significant injury
a severe injury
a substantial injury
a major injury
an intense injury
serious questions
legitimate questions
sincere questions
genuine questions
sensible questions
tough questions
a serious concern
a substantial concern
a significant concern
a considerable concern
a major concern
an important concern
serious doubts
immense doubts
strong doubts
severe doubts
massive doubts
a serious effort
a huge effort
a considerable effort
a substantial effort
a real effort
a sincere effort

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 In the past, the drive to grow contributed to more serious issues, such as the 2016 SEC fraud case where the company was accused of inflating its 2011 financial results. Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 But critics across the political spectrum, including some Republicans, say the arrangement raises serious legal and constitutional questions—especially given Trump’s private business ties in the region and the shadow of past emoluments controversies. Nik Popli, Time, 12 May 2025 The dearth of serious voting impediments is long-standing finding in polls. Karlyn Bowman, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025 Meanwhile, India has released new satellite images showing serious damage to air strips and radar stations at what Indian defense officials say are multiple Pakistani military bases crippled by massive Indian airstrikes. Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for serious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serious
Adjective
  • President Donald Trump delivered a history-laden Memorial Day speech after laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, his remarks echoing against the solemn backdrop of Arlington National Cemetery, final resting place of more than 400,000 veterans and their family members.
    Davis Winkie, USA Today, 27 May 2025
  • Easter can be a solemn event, but only the few days before.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025
Adjective
  • Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2025
  • The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into an important offseason.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
Adjective
  • This, in effect, frames even the movie’s unrelated, apolitical happenings as being at the mercy of this dangerous future, backed by Western powers.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 May 2025
  • Cruise’s wing-walking sequence was somehow even more dangerous.
    Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • The risk of severe storms stretches from the southern Plains to the Southeast, with isolated severe storms possible in South Florida, the Storm Prediction Center said.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 May 2025
  • Complications from that illness ultimately led to a severe form of leukemia that claimed his life.
    Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
    Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 31 May 2025
  • What have the offers looked like since this past season hit so big?
    Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • Other parts of the southeastern US could see hazardous weather Friday afternoon and evening.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 30 May 2025
  • However, a small portion of them, known as potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), do require close monitoring.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Momentous Human Payoff Ahead Moving the needle on the subjective vs. objective preponderance in psychology is going to take earnest and undeterred energy and attention.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • There are satirical photographs and movingly earnest video.
    Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • Catch Up On The Story Chelsea can become the first club to win all four major UEFA trophies – but who else could complete the set?
    Simon Johnson, New York Times, 28 May 2025
  • Rio has also been consolidating itself as one of the most filmed cities in the world, surpassing major cinematic destinations such as Paris and Mexico City.
    Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Serious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serious. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on serious

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