English word

Serious

Definitions

adjective

  1. thoughtful or subdued in appearance or manner : sober
  2. requiring much thought or work
  3. of or relating to a matter of importance
  4. not joking or trifling : being in earnest
  5. piousarchaic
  6. deeply interested : devoted
  7. not easily answered or solved
  8. having important or dangerous possible consequences
  9. excessive or impressive in quality, quantity, extent, or degree

Synonyms for serious

Closest evidence-backed alternatives.

  • earnest
  • severe
  • solemn
  • acute
  • all-important
  • almighty
  • apocalyptic
  • appreciable
  • arch
  • big
  • big league
  • big-league
  • big-time
  • burning
  • capital
  • cardinal
  • celebrated
  • central
  • chief
  • citable

Synonyms by context

Of an important nature

adjective

Grave in manner or disposition

adjective

Thoughtful in manner or disposition

adjective

  • contemplative
  • pensive
  • introspective
  • reflective
  • ruminative
  • thoughtful
  • deep in thought
  • meditative
  • musing
  • cogitative

Used to express shock, surprise or skepticism, or to indirectly request confirmation or more information

interjection

  • really
  • what
  • are you kidding
  • are you serious
  • come on
  • good grief
  • good heavens
  • my word
  • no way
  • oh come on

Antonyms for serious

  • apathetic
  • casual
  • couldn't-care-less
  • cursory
  • dull
  • easy
  • facetious
  • facile
  • faint
  • flip
  • flippant
  • frivolous
  • gratifying
  • half-hearted
  • harmless
  • humorous
  • ignorable
  • immaterial
  • inappreciable
  • incidental

Opposite of of an important nature

  • trivial
  • insignificant
  • unimportant
  • frivolous
  • minor
  • small
  • immaterial
  • inappreciable
  • incidental
  • inconsequential

Opposite of grave in manner or disposition

Opposite of requiring considerable thought or reflection

  • cursory
  • perfunctory
  • superficial
  • casual
  • fleeting
  • haphazard
  • hasty
  • hurried
  • passing
  • shallow

Phrases

  • a cut above the rest
  • ad rem
  • all important
  • at the cutting edge
  • at the heart of
  • at the leading edge
  • best possible
  • beyond compare
  • big league
  • big time
  • bread and butter
  • called for
  • carrying a lot of weight
  • de rigueur
  • extremely important
  • first and foremost
  • first class
  • heavy stuff
  • highest ranking
  • highly regarded