earnest
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈɝ.nɪst/
ipa: /ˈɜː.nɪst/
homophone: Ernest
Forms: form: earnester
form: more earnest
form: earnestest
form: most earnest
Etymology: From Middle English ernest, eornest, from Old English eornest, eornost, eornust (“earnestness, zeal, seriousness, battle”), from Proto-Germanic *ernustuz (“earnest, strength, solidity, struggle, fight”), a derivative of Proto-Germanic *arniz (“efficient, capable, diligent, sure”), from Proto-Indo-European *er- (“to cause to move, arouse, increase”).
Cognate with West Frisian earnst (“earnest, seriousness”), Dutch ernst (“seriousness, gravity, earnest”), German Ernst (“seriousness, earnestness, zeal, vigour”), Icelandic ern (“brisk, vigorous”), Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐌽𐌹𐌱𐌰 (arniba, “secure, certain, sure”).
The adjective is from Middle English eornest, from Old English eornoste (“earnest, zealous, serious”), from the noun. Cognate with North Frisian ernste (“earnest”), Middle Low German ernest, ernst (“serious, earnest”), German ernst (“serious, earnest”).
Senses: synonyms: word: authentic
word: actual
word: authentic
word: bona fide
word: genuine
word: legit
word: legitimate
word: lubish
word: non-fake
word: pukka
word: real
word: sterling
word: true
word: unadulterated
word: uncounterfeited
word: undissembled
word: unfaked
word: unfeigned
word: veritable
glosses: Serious, sincere, ingenuous.
raw_tags: said of an action or an utterance
examples: text: earnest prayers
glosses: Focused in the pursuit of an objective; honestly eager to obtain or do.
raw_tags: with a positive sense
examples: text: earnest attention
synonyms: word: intensive
word: centered
word: concentrated
word: focused
word: inspissated
word: intensive
word: telic
word: intent
glosses: Intent; focused; showing a lot of concentration.
examples: text: an earnest disposition
synonyms: word: grave
word: austere
word: frightful
word: demure
word: serious
word: grave
word: earnest
word: grievous
word: lack-laughter
word: thoughtful
word: sad
word: sage
word: saturnine
word: sedate
word: solemn
word: solemncholy
word: sober
word: somber
word: sombre
word: staid
word: stern
word: sweer
word: weightsome
word: weighty
glosses: Possessing or characterised by seriousness.
raw_tags: said of a person or a person's character
examples: text: earnest efforts
synonyms: word: painstaking
word: industrious
word: studious
word: assiduous
word: diligent
word: sedulous
word: notable
word: painstaking
word: hard-working
word: worksome
glosses: Strenuous; diligent.
synonyms: word: historic
word: big
word: central
word: consequential
word: critical
word: crucial
word: epochful
word: essential
word: extraordinary
word: fateful
word: fatefraught
word: fatesome
word: heavy
word: pivotal
word: high on the totem pole
word: historic
word: innegligible
word: key
word: life-or-death
word: meaningful
word: necessary
word: noted
word: noticeable
word: observable
word: outstanding
word: paramount
word: pertinent
word: relevant
word: remarkable
word: salient
word: significant
word: unignorable
word: valuable
word: vital
word: weighty
glosses: Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; important.
Derived terms: earnestly
earnestness
earnesty
in earnest
overearnest
unearnest