EARNESTNESS
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Dictionary entry overview: What does earnestness mean?
• EARNESTNESS (noun)
The noun EARNESTNESS has 2 senses:
1. an earnest and sincere feeling
2. the trait of being serious
Familiarity information: EARNESTNESS used as a noun is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• EARNESTNESS (noun)
Meaning:
An earnest and sincere feeling
Classified under:
Nouns denoting feelings and emotions
Synonyms:
earnestness; seriousness; sincerity
Hypernyms ("earnestness" is a kind of...):
gravity; solemnity (a solemn and dignified feeling)
Meaning:
The trait of being serious
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
serious-mindedness; earnestness; seriousness; sincerity
Context example:
a lack of solemnity is not necessarily a lack of seriousness
Hypernyms ("earnestness" is a kind of...):
trait (a distinguishing feature of your personal nature)
Attribute:
serious (concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities)
frivolous (not serious in content or attitude or behavior)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "earnestness"):
commitment; committedness (the trait of sincere and steadfast fixity of purpose)
graveness; gravity; soberness; sobriety; somberness; sombreness (a manner that is serious and solemn)
sedateness; solemness; solemnity; staidness (a trait of dignified seriousness)
