Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [ur-nist]
- /ˈɜr nɪst/
- /ˈɜː.nɪst/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [ur-nist]
- /ˈɜr nɪst/
Definitions of earnest word
- adjective earnest serious in intention, purpose, or effort; sincerely zealous: an earnest worker. 1
- adjective earnest showing depth and sincerity of feeling: earnest words; an earnest entreaty. 1
- adjective earnest seriously important; demanding or receiving serious attention. 1
- noun earnest a portion of something, given or done in advance as a pledge of the remainder. 1
- noun earnest Law. earnest money. 1
- noun earnest anything that gives pledge, promise, or indication of what is to follow. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of earnest
First appearance:
before 1000 One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1000; Middle English erneste, Old English eornoste (adj.); Middle English ernest, Old English eornost (noun); cognate with Dutch, German ernest
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Earnest
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
earnest popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 87% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
earnest usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for earnest
adj earnest
- diligent — constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything: a diligent student.
- impassioned — filled with intense feeling or passion; passionate; ardent.
- sincere — free of deceit, hypocrisy, or falseness; earnest: a sincere apology.
- fervent — having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm, etc.; ardent: a fervent admirer; a fervent plea.
- urgent — compelling or requiring immediate action or attention; imperative; pressing: an urgent matter.
adjective earnest
- serious — of, showing, or characterized by deep thought.
- intense — existing or occurring in a high or extreme degree: intense heat.
- deep — If something is deep, it extends a long way down from the ground or from the top surface of something.
- strong — having, showing, or able to exert great bodily or muscular power; physically vigorous or robust: a strong boy.
noun earnest
- warrant — authorization, sanction, or justification.
- testament — Law. a will, especially one that relates to the disposition of one's personal property. will2 (def 8).
- token — something serving to represent or indicate some fact, event, feeling, etc.; sign: Black is a token of mourning.
- seriousness — of, showing, or characterized by deep thought.
- affiance — to bind (a person or oneself) in a promise of marriage; betroth
Antonyms for earnest
adj earnest
- indifferent — without interest or concern; not caring; apathetic: his indifferent attitude toward the suffering of others.
- apathetic — If you describe someone as apathetic, you are criticizing them because they do not seem to be interested in or enthusiastic about doing anything.
- insincere — not sincere; not honest in the expression of actual feeling; hypocritical.
- dispassionate — free from or unaffected by passion; devoid of personal feeling or bias; impartial; calm: a dispassionate critic.
- flippant — frivolously disrespectful, shallow, or lacking in seriousness; characterized by levity: The audience was shocked by his flippant remarks about patriotism.
adjective earnest
- frivolous — characterized by lack of seriousness or sense: frivolous conduct.
- superficial — being at, on, or near the surface: a superficial wound.
Top questions with earnest
- what is earnest money?
- what does earnest mean?
- what happens to earnest money if buyer backs out?
- what does in earnest mean?
- how much earnest money?
- what does the word earnest mean?
- what is earnest?
- how to get earnest money back?
- where does earnest money go?
- what does earnest money mean?
- who wrote the importance of being earnest?
- how does earnest money work?
- what is the definition of earnest?
- what is earnest money deposit?
- what happens to earnest money?
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with e
- Words starting with ea
- Words starting with ear
- Words starting with earn
- Words starting with earne
- Words starting with earnes
- Words starting with earnest