Serious Definition & Meaning

serious
adjective
  1. concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities; "a serious student of history"; "a serious attempt to learn to ski"; "gave me a serious look"; "a serious young man"; "are you serious or joking?"; "Don't be so serious!"
  2. of great consequence; "marriage is a serious matter"
  3. causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; "a dangerous operation"; "a grave situation"; "a grave illness"; "grievous bodily harm"; "a serious wound"; "a serious turn of events"; "a severe case of pneumonia"; "a life-threatening disease"
  4. appealing to the mind; "good music"; "a serious book"
  5. completely lacking in playfulness
  6. requiring effort or concentration; complex and not easy to answer or solve; "raised serious objections to the proposal"; "the plan has a serious flaw"

Synonyms for serious

critical adj

marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws

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dangerous adj

involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm; "a dangerous criminal"; "a dangerous bridge

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difficult adj

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure; "a difficult task

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earnest adj

characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

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good adv

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (`good' is a

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grave adj

dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises; "a grave God-fearing man

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grievous adj

causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; "a dangerous operation"; "a grave situation"; "a grave illness

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hard adv

with effort or force or vigor; "the team played hard"; "worked hard all day"; "pressed hard on the lever

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important adj

of great significance or value; "important people"; "the important questions of the day" important in effect or meaning

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intellectual adj

of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind; "intellectual problems

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"Serious" in song lyrics

See how serious is used in real songs:

  • "A brother only gets through life if he's serious"
    415 — Court in the Street
  • "Am I goin to court? Hell nah, you serious?"
    415 — Court in the Street
  • "Struggle of the forces - serious"
    Aceyalone — Organic Electricity

Words that rhyme with serious

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Usage tips for "serious"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "serious" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for serious to find words that pair well.

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♫ Rhymes with serious ↔ Synonyms for serious 🔬 Words containing serious

Frequently asked questions

What does serious mean?
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities; "a serious student of history"; "a serious attempt to learn to ski"; "gave me a serious look"; "a serious young man"; "are you serious or joking?"; "Don't be so serious!" of great consequence; "marriage is a serious matter" causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; "a dangerous operation"; "a grave situation"; "a grave illness"; "grievous bodily harm"; "a serious wound"; "a serious turn of events
What part of speech is serious?
Serious is an adjective.
How many definitions does serious have?
Serious has 6 definitions across 1 part of speech (adjective).

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