serious
- 01 A2 Elementary
adj.quiet and thinking carefully, without laughing or making jokes.
adj.characterized by a grave or somber disposition; lacking humor or levity in manner.
Simple“The teacher looked very serious when he told the students to be quiet.”
In context“The lead investigator maintained a serious expression throughout the briefing, refusing to indulge in the lighthearted banter of his colleagues.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
adj.important and needing a lot of thought because it could cause problems.
adj.having significant or dangerous consequences; not trivial or slight.
Simple“The doctor said it was a serious injury and she needed to stay in the hospital.”
In context“The board of directors met to discuss the serious financial implications of the failed merger, acknowledging that the company's future was at stake.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
adj.really meaning what you say and not just pretending or playing.
adj.acting in earnest; sincerely intending to carry out a stated plan or promise.
Simple“Are you serious about moving to another country for work?”
In context“Despite his reputation for sarcasm, he was entirely serious when he offered to fund the local community project.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
adj.giving a lot of time and energy to an activity because you care about it.
adj.deeply interested in or devoted to a particular activity or subject.
Simple“She is a serious student who spends every weekend in the library.”
In context“As a serious collector of rare manuscripts, he spent decades scouring European auctions to complete his primary research library.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
adv.used in some phrases to mean 'in a serious way'.
adv.functioning as an adverbial modifier, particularly in fixed collocations like 'take serious' or 'mean serious'.
Simple“You shouldn't take him too serious when he is in a bad mood.”
In context“The foreman warned the crew that the safety inspector would take any violations serious, regardless of past performance.”
UsageIn standard English, 'seriously' is required; this form is restricted to specific informal or regional speech patterns.
Usage serious damage · serious injuries · serious questions
From Middle English seryows, from Old French serieux, from Medieval Latin sēriōsus, an extension of Latin sērius (“grave, earnest, serious”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“heavy”). Cognate with German schwer (“heavy, difficult, severe”), Old English swǣr (“heavy, grave, grievous”). More at swear, sweer.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.