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earnest
1[ ur-nist ]
/ ˈɜr nɪst /
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adjective
serious and zealous in intention, purpose, or effort: an earnest worker.
showing depth and sincerity of feeling: earnest words; an earnest entreaty.
seriously important; demanding or receiving serious attention.
noun
seriousness and zealousness: to speak in earnest.
OTHER WORDS FOR earnest
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Origin of earnest
1First recorded before 1000; Middle English erneste, Old English eornoste (adjective); Middle English ernest, Old English eornost (noun); cognate with Dutch, German ernest
synonym study for earnest
1. Earnest, resolute, serious, sincere imply having qualities of depth and firmness. Earnest implies having a purpose and being steadily and soberly eager in pursuing it: an earnest student. Resolute adds a quality of determination: resolute in defending the right. Serious implies having depth and a soberness of attitude that contrasts with gaiety and frivolity; it may include the qualities of both earnestness and resolution: serious and thoughtful. Sincere suggests genuineness, trustworthiness, and absence of superficiality: a sincere interest in music.
OTHER WORDS FROM earnest
ear·nest·ly, adverbear·nest·ness, nounWords nearby earnest
Other definitions for earnest (2 of 2)
earnest2
[ ur-nist ]
/ ˈɜr nɪst /
noun
a portion of something, given or done in advance as a pledge of the remainder.
Law. earnest money.
anything that gives pledge, promise, or indication of what is to follow.
Origin of earnest
21175–1225; Middle English ernes(t), alteration of Old French erres, plural of erre earnest money <Latin arr(h)a short for arr(h)abō (perhaps by taking -bō as a future tense ending) <Greek arrhabṓn<Semitic (compare Hebrew ʿērābhōn security, pledge). Cf. arras2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use earnest in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for earnest (1 of 2)
earnest1
/ (ˈɜːnɪst) /
adjective
serious in mind or intentionan earnest student
showing or characterized by sincerity of intentionan earnest promise
demanding or receiving serious attention
noun
seriousness
in earnest with serious or sincere intentions
Derived forms of earnest
earnestly, adverbearnestness, nounWord Origin for earnest
Old English eornost; related to Old High German ernust seriousness, Old Norse ern energetic, efficient, Gothic arniba secure
British Dictionary definitions for earnest (2 of 2)
earnest2
/ (ˈɜːnɪst) /
noun
a part or portion of something given in advance as a guarantee of the remainder
Also called: earnest money contract law something given, usually a nominal sum of money, to confirm a contract
any token of something to follow; pledge; assurance
Word Origin for earnest
C13: from Old French erres pledges, plural of erre earnest money, from Latin arrha, shortened from arrabō pledge, from Greek arrabon, from Hebrew `ērābhōn pledge, from `ārabh he pledged
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Other Idioms and Phrases with earnest
earnest
see in earnest.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.