What is the meaning of in earnest?

adverb

  • In a serious manner.
    • usage: "talking earnestly with his son"; "she started studying snakes in earnest"; "a play dealing seriously with the question of divorce"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). in earnest. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/in_earnest/definitions/1251975
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "in earnest" http://smartdefine.org/in_earnest/definitions/1251975 (accessed September 21, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, in earnest, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/in_earnest/definitions/1251975>.
MLAWordNet. "in earnest" 23 October 2010. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/in_earnest/definitions/1251975>