Are you in jest or in earnest?
Source: tatoeba (15988)
Earnest
/ˈɝ.nɪst/
Synonyms for "earnest" (270 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (54)
Adjective(5 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Noun(2 words)
be honestbe serious
Strong matches (81)
Adjective(16 words)
determineddevoteddevoutdiligentdisbursaldischargedoling outdown paymenteagerearnest moneyearnestnessemphaticenterprisingenthusiasmenthusiasticescrowfaithfulfatalfatefulfervent
Show 43 more words
fervidfieryfinicalfinickingfinickyfirmflamingformalformidablefrowninggagegravegrimgrim-facedgrim-visagedguaranteehandselhard-workingheartyheatedheavyheedfulhire purchasehire purchase planhockhostagehothot bloodedhot-bloodedimpassionedimposingin earnestindustriousinstallmentinstallment planinstantintenseintentintent onintentiveintentnessinterestinterest payment
Noun(1 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (135)
johnny on the spotkeenliquidationlong facedlong-facedloyalmainprisemeticulousmindfulmonthly paymentsnever-nevernicenigglingno-nonsenseobservantobservingobstinateon fireon the ballon the job
Show 93 more words
open eyedopen-earedopen-eyedopenmouthedpainfulpassionatepawnpayingpaying offpaying outpaying uppaymentpayment in kindpayoffperfervidperseverantperseveringpersistentpignuspledgepoignantpoker facedportentousprepaymentpressingpromisepurposefulquarterly paymentsquittancerealrecognizancered hotred-hotregardfulregular paymentsrelentlessremittancereplevinreplevyresoluteresolvedretirementsatisfactionsecuritysedatesedulousseriousseriousnesssettlementsinceresingle mindedsingle-mindedsinking-fund paymentsobersober-mindedsobersidedsolemnsolicitoussomberspiritedspot cashstaidsteadystone facedstone-facedstraight facedstraight-facedstrenuousstrongsuretytenaciousthoughtfultokentoken paymenttruthfulundertakingunsmilingurgentvadimoniumvadiumvehementvoraciouswarmwarmthwarrantwatchfulweekly paymentsweightywhite hotwhite-hotwholeheartedzealzealous
Noun(5 words)
Adjective(16 words)
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: heartfelt, sincere, abandoned, acquitment, acquittal.
- Sentence evidence is available for earnest, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "earnest".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "earnest"
Keep "earnest" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "earnest" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "earnest", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "earnest" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
10 entriesMore specific
12 entriesdedicated researcherdevoted workerdiligencedown paymentgenuinenessgravitassecurity depositserious studentseriousnesssinceritysobrietysolemnity
Collocations
12 entriescontract depositdown paymentearnest appealearnest attemptearnest discussionearnest effortearnest inquiryearnest moneyearnest requestgood faith moneypledge moneysecurity deposit
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriessimilar
3 entriesTranslations
40 translations across 22 languages.
Arabic
2 entries- جَادّ adj (important, serious)
- جَدِّي adj (important, serious)
Belarusian
1 entries- сур'ёзны adj (important, serious)
Bulgarian
1 entries- сериозен adj (important, serious)
Catalan
1 entries- seriós adj (important, serious)
Chinese Mandarin
3 entries- 嚴重 /严重 adj (important, serious)
- 沉重 adj (important, serious)
- 認真 /认真 adj (important, serious)
Czech
2 entries- seriózní adj (important, serious)
- vážný adj (important, serious)
French
2 entries- grave adj (important, serious)
- sérieux adj (important, serious)
Galician
4 entries- rexo adj (important, serious)
- sesgo adj (important, serious)
- séreo adj (important, serious)
- teixo adj (important, serious)
German
3 entries- aufrichtig adj (important, serious)
- ernst adj (important, serious)
- ernsthaft adj (important, serious)
Hungarian
2 entries- komoly adj (important, serious)
- súlyos adj (important, serious)
Irish
1 entries- dáiríre adj (important, serious)
Italian
2 entries- grave adj (important, serious)
- serio adj (important, serious)
Japanese
3 entries- 本気 adj (important, serious)
- 真剣 adj (important, serious)
- 真面目 adj (important, serious)
Latin
1 entries- sērius adj (important, serious)
Portuguese
2 entries- sincero adj (important, serious)
- sério adj (important, serious)
Romanian
1 entries- serios adj (important, serious)
Russian
2 entries- серьёзный adj (important, serious)
- убедительный adj (important, serious)
Serbo-Croatian
3 entries- vážan adj (important, serious)
- znȁčājan adj (important, serious)
- ȍzbīljan adj (important, serious)
Spanish
1 entries- serio adj (important, serious)
Turkish
1 entries- ciddi adj (important, serious)
Ukrainian
1 entries- серйозний adj (important, serious)
Welsh
1 entries- taer adj (important, serious)
Sample sentences
22 total sentences available.
The rain came down in earnest.
Source: tatoeba (26689)
The rain is coming down in earnest.
Source: tatoeba (26691)
It began raining in earnest.
Source: tatoeba (26811)
Showing 4 of 22 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "earnest"?
Closest matches include heartfelt, sincere, abandoned, acquitment, acquittal.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "earnest"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.