What does “serious” mean?
- 1
adjectivebad or dangerous enough to make you worry
He was in a serious accident.
- 2
adjectivemeaning what you say and not joking
Are you serious about moving to Japan?
- 3
adjectivethoughtful and not often laughing
She is a quiet, serious student.
Serious at a glance
- Part of speech
- adjective
- CEFR level
- A2 (elementary)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈsɪriəs/ · SEER-ee-us
How to use “serious” correctly
Use “serious about” for plans and goals: “I’m serious about learning Spanish.”
Common phrases with “serious”
- serious problem
- serious injury
- be serious about
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- minor
- joking
Word family
- seriously
- seriousness
“serious” is on these word lists
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