earnest

1
[ ur-nist ]
See synonyms for: earnestearnestsearnestlyearnestness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. serious and zealous in intention, purpose, or effort: an earnest worker.

  2. showing depth and sincerity of feeling: earnest words; an earnest entreaty.

  1. seriously important; demanding or receiving serious attention.

noun
  1. seriousness and zealousness: to speak in earnest.

Origin of earnest

1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English erneste, Old English eornoste (adjective); Middle English ernest, Old English eornost (noun); cognate with Dutch, German ernest

synonym study For earnest

1. Earnest, resolute, serious, sincere imply having qualities of depth and firmness. Earnest implies having a purpose and being steadily and soberly eager in pursuing it: an earnest student. Resolute adds a quality of determination: resolute in defending the right. Serious implies having depth and a soberness of attitude that contrasts with gaiety and frivolity; it may include the qualities of both earnestness and resolution: serious and thoughtful. Sincere suggests genuineness, trustworthiness, and absence of superficiality: a sincere interest in music.

Other words for earnest

Opposites for earnest

Other words from earnest

  • ear·nest·ly, adverb
  • ear·nest·ness, noun

Words Nearby earnest

Other definitions for earnest (2 of 2)

earnest2
[ ur-nist ]

noun
  1. a portion of something, given or done in advance as a pledge of the remainder.

  1. anything that gives pledge, promise, or indication of what is to follow.

Origin of earnest

2
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English ernes(t), alteration of Old French erres, plural of erre “earnest money,” from Latin arr(h)a, short for arr(h)abō (perhaps by misunderstanding -bō as a future tense ending; cf. placebo ), from Greek arrhabṓn, from Semitic (compare Hebrew ʿērāvôn “security, pledge”); cf. arras2

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use earnest in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for earnest (1 of 2)

earnest1

/ (ˈɜːnɪst) /


adjective
  1. serious in mind or intention: an earnest student

  2. showing or characterized by sincerity of intention: an earnest promise

  1. demanding or receiving serious attention

noun
  1. seriousness

  2. in earnest with serious or sincere intentions

Origin of earnest

1
Old English eornost; related to Old High German ernust seriousness, Old Norse ern energetic, efficient, Gothic arniba secure

Derived forms of earnest

  • earnestly, adverb
  • earnestness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for earnest (2 of 2)

earnest2

/ (ˈɜːnɪst) /


noun
  1. a part or portion of something given in advance as a guarantee of the remainder

  2. Also called: earnest money contract law something given, usually a nominal sum of money, to confirm a contract

  1. any token of something to follow; pledge; assurance

Origin of earnest

2
C13: from Old French erres pledges, plural of erre earnest money, from Latin arrha, shortened from arrabō pledge, from Greek arrabon, from Hebrew `ērābhōn pledge, from `ārabh he pledged

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with earnest

earnest

see in earnest.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.