earnest

The word “earnest” has 2 syllables: earn-est.

It's pronounced as /ˈɜːrnɪst/.


What is synonym and antonym for earnest?

In the thesaurus, “earnest” has 18 synonyms and 42 antonyms.

Here are synonyms and antonyms for earnest along with examples of usage in sentences.


Synonyms for earnest

  • ardent
  • diligent
  • earnestness
  • fervent
  • gravity
  • heartfelt
  • impassioned
  • intentness
  • passionate
  • purposeful
  • serious
  • sincere
  • sober
  • solemn
  • somber
  • stern
  • thoughtful
  • urgent

Antonyms for earnest

  • apathetic
  • cold
  • comic
  • comical
  • cool
  • dispassionate
  • droll
  • facetious
  • facetiousness
  • farcical
  • flightiness
  • flip
  • flippancy
  • flippant
  • frigid
  • frivolity
  • frivolousness
  • funny
  • hilarious
  • humorous
  • hysteric
  • hysterical
  • indifferent
  • insincere
  • jocular
  • joking
  • kittenish
  • laughable
  • levity
  • light
  • lightheartedness
  • lightness
  • ludic
  • ludicrous
  • play
  • playful
  • ridiculous
  • riotous
  • superficiality
  • unenthusiastic
  • unexcited
  • uproarious

Meanings of earnest

  • noun
    1. Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness.
    2. Seriousness; reality; actuality (as opposed to joking or pretence).
    3. A sum of money paid in advance as a deposit; hence, a pledge, a guarantee, an indication of something to come.
  • verb
    1. To be serious with; use in earnest.
    2. To gain (success, reward, recognition) through applied effort or work.
    3. To receive payment for work.
    4. To receive payment for work.
    5. To cause (someone) to receive payment or reward.
    6. To achieve by being worthy of.
    7. To curdle, as milk.
    8. To long; to yearn.
    9. To grieve.
  • adjective
    1. (said of an action or an utterance) Serious or honest.
    2. (with a positive sense) Focused in the pursuit of an objective; eager to obtain or do.
    3. Intent; focused; showing a lot of concentration.
    4. (said of a person or a person's character) Possessing or characterised by seriousness.
    5. Strenuous; diligent.
    6. Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; important.

Example Sentences

  • In the earnest discussion, they addressed the challenges facing the team.
  • Her earnest efforts to learn a new language were evident in her progress.
  • The candidate spoke with earnest conviction about their commitment to the community.
  • The apology was sincere and delivered in an earnest manner.
  • During the negotiation, both parties engaged in an earnest attempt to find common ground.

On this page you'll find 60 synonyms, antonyms, or another words to earnest, such as: apathetic, ardent, cold, comic, comical, cool, diligent.

Make sure to choose synonyms and antonyms that are appropriate for the context of the sentence.

Related Words

abstaining

  • austere
  • calm
  • chastity
  • dark
  • declining
  • delaying
  • disapproval
  • disciplined
  • dispassionate
  • down-to-earth
  • earnest
  • fasting
  • frugality
  • hesitating
  • levelheaded
  • low-key
  • lucid
  • moderation
  • no-nonsense
  • practical
  • quiet
  • rational
  • realistic
  • reasonable
  • rebuttal
  • refusing
  • rejecting
  • rejection
  • repudiation
  • restrained
  • retraction
  • sedate
  • self-restraint
  • serene
  • serious
  • solemn
  • somber
  • staid
  • subdued
  • temporizing
  • turning down
  • veto

eagerly

  • actively
  • animatedly
  • ardently
  • avidly
  • breathlessly
  • briskly
  • cordially
  • crisply
  • earnestly
  • energetically
  • enthusiastically
  • excitedly
  • fervently
  • fiercely
  • gamely
  • gladly
  • heartily
  • hungrily
  • impatiently
  • intently
  • keenly
  • longingly
  • lustily
  • promptly
  • readily
  • sharply
  • sincerely
  • spiritedly
  • surely
  • vehemently
  • vigorously
  • violently
  • willingly
  • zealously

earnestness

  • ardor
  • devotion
  • earnest
  • enthusiasm
  • fervor
  • firmness
  • gravity
  • intensity
  • intentness
  • seriousness
  • sincerity
  • solemnity
  • tenacity
  • urgency
  • warmth
  • zeal

efficiently

  • ably
  • accurately
  • adeptly
  • adequately
  • adroitly
  • aptly
  • assiduously
  • calmly
  • carefully
  • cleanly
  • closely
  • comfortably
  • competently
  • completely
  • comprehensively
  • conscientiously
  • conveniently
  • correctly
  • deftly
  • dexterously
  • earnestly
  • easily
  • effectively
  • effortlessly
  • expertly
  • extremely
  • freely
  • fully
  • handily
  • highly
  • intensely
  • intensively
  • masterfully
  • methodically
  • meticulously
  • nicely
  • painlessly
  • painstakingly
  • precisely
  • proficiently
  • properly
  • quickly
  • readily
  • regularly
  • scrupulously
  • simply
  • skillfully
  • smoothly
  • strongly
  • successfully
  • surely
  • thoroughly
  • very
  • well
  • wholly

painstaking

  • assiduous
  • careful
  • conscientious
  • diligent
  • earnest
  • effort
  • exacting
  • loving
  • meticulous
  • pains
  • persistence
  • scrupulous
  • strenuous

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