Earnest definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

Earnest definition: Earnest people are very serious and sincere in what they say or do, because they think... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and ... EnglishDictionary Thesaurus WordLists Grammar EnglishEasyLearningGrammar GrammarPatterns EnglishUsage TeachingResources VideoGuides Conjugations Sentences Quiz Englishgrammar Englishcollocations Englishconfusables Englishidioms Englishusage Thematicwordlists English French German Italian Spanish Portuguese Hindi Chinese Korean Definitionof 'earnest'    WordFrequency Share× Credits× earnest (ɜːʳnɪst ) 1. Seeinearnest 2. adjective Earnestpeopleareveryseriousandsincereinwhattheysayordo,becausetheythinkthattheiractionsandbeliefsareimportant. Ellawasapious,earnestwoman. Hisexpressionisasearnestwhenhesmilesaswhenheisarguing. Despitetheirearnestefforts,theystillstruggletowinsupport. Synonyms:serious,keen,grave,intense MoreSynonymsofearnest earnestness uncountablenounHewasadmiredbymanyforhisearnestness. Synonyms:seriousness,resolution,passion,enthusiasm MoreSynonymsofearnest Synonyms:determination,resolve,urgency,zeal MoreSynonymsofearnest 3. Seeinearnest MoreSynonymsofearnest COBUILDAdvancedEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Video:pronunciationof earnest Youmayalsolike EnglishQuizConfusables Synonymsof'earnest' LanguageLover'sBlog FrenchTranslationof'earnest' Translateyourtext PronunciationPlaylists Wordoftheday:'sinbin' HindiTranslationof'earnest' NEWfromCollins! EnglishGrammar CollinsApps WordFrequency earnestinBritishEnglish1 (ˈɜːnɪst ) adjective1. seriousinmindorintention anearneststudent 2. showingorcharacterizedbysincerityofintention anearnestpromise 3. demandingorreceivingseriousattention noun4. seriousness 5. Seeinearnest CollinsEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Derivedformsearnestly(ˈearnestly)adverb earnestness(ˈearnestness)noun WordoriginOldEnglisheornost;relatedtoOldHighGermanernustseriousness,OldNorseernenergetic,efficient,Gothicarnibasecure WordFrequency earnestinBritishEnglish2 (ˈɜːnɪst ) noun1. apartorportionofsomethinggiveninadvanceasaguaranteeoftheremainder 2. Alsocalled:earnestmoneycontractlaw somethinggiven,usuallyanominalsumofmoney,toconfirmacontract 3. anytokenofsomethingtofollow;pledge;assurance CollinsEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers WordoriginC13:fromOldFrencherrespledges,pluraloferreearnestmoney,fromLatinarrha,shortenedfromarrabōpledge,fromGreekarrabon,fromHebrew`ērābhōnpledge,from`ārabhhepledged WordFrequency earnestinAmericanEnglish1 (ˈɜrnɪst ) adjective1.  seriousandintense;notjokingorplayful;zealousandsincere 2.  notpettyortrivial;important SIMILARWORDS: ˈserious Idioms:inearnest Webster’sNewWorldCollegeDictionary,4thEdition.Copyright©2010by HoughtonMifflinHarcourt.Allrightsreserved. Derivedformsearnestly(ˈearnestly) adverb earnestness(ˈearnestness) noun WordoriginMEernestrun WordFrequency earnestinAmericanEnglish2 (ˈɜrnɪst ) noun1.  moneygivenasapartpaymentandpledgeinbindingabargain:infullearnestmoney 2.  somethinggivenordoneasanindicationorassuranceofwhatistocome;token SIMILARWORDS: pledge Webster’sNewWorldCollegeDictionary,4thEdition.Copyright©2010by HoughtonMifflinHarcourt.Allrightsreserved. Wordoriginaltered(afterearnest1)