seriously
- 01 B1 Intermediate
in a way that is not joking or playful.
in a literal, earnest, or solemn manner; without levity.
Simple“I am seriously considering moving to another country for work.”
In context“The board is seriously evaluating the proposal, as the potential for long-term growth outweighs the immediate financial risks.”
Usageusually follows the verb or sits at the end of the clause.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
to a great or dangerous degree.
to a severe or critical extent; used to intensify negative states or injuries.
Simple“Several people were seriously injured in the car accident last night.”
In context“The local ecosystem was seriously affected by the chemical spill, requiring years of intensive restoration efforts.”
Usageoften modifies adjectives like 'injured', 'ill', or 'damaged'.
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
you use this to stop joking and start talking about something important.
used as a sentence adverb to signal a transition from a humorous or lighthearted tone to a sincere one.
Simple“Seriously, we need to decide who is driving to the wedding.”
In context“Seriously though, if we don't address the budget deficit now, we won't have any funding for next year's projects.”
Usageusually placed at the very beginning of a sentence.
Teacher's tipThis is a 'discourse marker' that helps manage the flow of a conversation.
Synonymshonestlyjoking aside - 04 B1 Intermediate
you say this when you are surprised or cannot believe what someone said.
used as an exclamation or a question to express incredulity, annoyance, or emphasis.
Simple“Seriously? You spent two hundred dollars on a pair of shoes?”
In context“Seriously? After all the help I gave him, he didn't even bother to send a thank-you note.”
Usageoften stands alone as a one-word question.
Teacher's tipIn speech, the meaning changes based on intonation; a rising tone shows surprise, while a falling tone shows annoyance.
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
very or extremely; used to make an adjective stronger.
used as a high-intensity degree adverb to modify adjectives.
Simple“That new video game is seriously cool.”
In context“The view from the top of the mountain was seriously impressive, making the four-hour climb feel entirely worth the effort.”
Usageplaced immediately before the adjective it modifies.
Teacher's tipThis is very common in youth slang and casual digital communication.
Synonyms
Usage seriously injured · seriously affect · seriously indeed
From Middle English seriously, sereously, ceryously, seryowslech (“earnestly”), equivalent to serious + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.