earnest

/'ə:nist/

Definition

Adjective:
- Serious and sincere in intention, feeling, or effort: Characterized by a deep, genuine, and often sober commitment.
- Characterized by a firm, sincere, and often grave belief or purpose: Lacking frivolity or humor in its seriousness.
Noun:
- A serious and intent mental state: A state of being sincere and determined.
- A token or pledge, especially a partial payment given to confirm a contract: Something of value given as a guarantee of future action or fulfillment.

Usage Examples

Adjective:
- She gave an earnest promise to help. (She made a sincere and serious promise.)
- He is an earnest student who always completes his work on time. (He is a diligent and serious student.)
- They had an earnest discussion about their future. (They had a sincere and serious discussion.)
Noun (Mental State):
- I could tell from his tone that he was in earnest. (I could tell he was completely serious.)
- When she said she would quit, she was in deadly earnest. (She was extremely serious and meant what she said.)
Noun (Token/Pledge):
- He paid $100 as an earnest on the car. (He paid a deposit as a guarantee to buy the car.)
- The early victory was an earnest of greater successes to come. (The victory was a sign or promise of future success.)

Advanced Usage

"in earnest": With sincere and serious intention; in a determined and purposeful manner.
- After the warning, he began studying in earnest. (He started studying with serious determination.)
- The negotiations began in earnest this morning. (The serious part of the negotiations started.)
"dead/deadly earnest": Extremely serious and sincere.
- He wasn't joking; he was in deadly earnest about moving abroad. (He was completely serious about his plan.)

Variants and Related Words

Earnestly (adverb): In a serious and sincere manner.
- She listened earnestly to the advice.
Earnestness (noun): The quality of being earnest; deep sincerity.
- His earnestness convinced me he was telling the truth.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Idioms and Phrases

In earnest: As previously defined in "Advanced Usage," this is the primary idiom.
Earnest money: A specific legal/financial term for a deposit made to secure a contract, especially in real estate.
- They put down earnest money to show their commitment to buying the house.

Adjective

not distracted by anything unrelated to the goal
earnest
- one's dearest wish
- devout wishes for their success
- heartfelt condolences
characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions
- both sides were deeply in earnest, even passionate
- an entirely sincere and cruel tyrant
- a film with a solemn social message

Noun

Khám phá thêm

Các từ liên quan

Từ đồng nghĩa

Từ tương tự

Từ gần giống

Từ chứa "earnest"

Từ có nhắc đến "earnest"