earnest

adjective
UK: /ˈɜː.nɪst/
US: /ˈɝː.nɪst/

  1. Serious and sincere.

    1. He is an earnest young man ready to help.
    2. She gave an earnest promise that she would improve her behavior during the next semester.

  2. Showing deep sincerity or feeling.

    1. She made an earnest plea for help with the project.
    2. The politician delivered an earnest speech hoping to win the voters' trust and support.

Synonyms

heartfelt serious genuine solemn sincere
earnest noun

  1. A serious intention; something done or said in a serious way.

    1. I knew from his face it was in earnest.
    2. He seems to be joking, but I suspect his proposal is made in earnest, not just for fun.

  2. A token or indication of what is to come.

    1. This payment is an earnest of our commitment.
    2. The company's initial investment served as an earnest of their long-term goals for innovation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "earnest" in English means: Serious and sincere., Showing deep sincerity or feeling..

The phonetic transcription of "earnest" is /ˈɜː.nɪst/ in British English and /ˈɝː.nɪst/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "earnest": heartfelt, serious, genuine, solemn, sincere.

Example usage of "earnest": "He is an earnest young man ready to help.". More examples on the page.