adv · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈsɪə.ɹi.əs.li/
UK:/ˈsɪə.ɹəs.li/in rapid speech
US:/ˈsɪɹ.i.əs.li/
US:/ˈsiɹ.i.əs.li/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S IH1 R IY0 AH0 S L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
In a serious or literal manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: manner
Examples
He was hoping that we would take him seriously.
Jimmy jokingly called Bob a doofus. Bob took the insult seriously.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
Gravely; deeply; very much.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
That was a seriously unpleasant thing to say.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
Used to attempt to introduce a serious point in a less serious conversation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Now, seriously, why did you forget to feed the cat today?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: no really, no kidding, real talk
Antonyms: none provided
4
adv
Meaning 4
Used to call back to a previous point, in disbelief or for emphasis.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
You baked ten (10) cakes. Seriously, why did you do that?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: no really, no kidding
Antonyms: none provided
5
adv
Meaning 5
In an extreme or major way; majorly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Examples
Unless you're seriously strapped (armed), you're about to be not okay too.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adverb
Meaning 6
to a severe or serious degree
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
fingers so badly frozen they had to be amputated
badly injured
a severely impaired heart
is gravely ill
was seriously ill
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: badly, severely, gravely
Antonyms: none provided
7
adverb
Meaning 7
in a serious manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
talking earnestly with his son
she started studying snakes in earnest
a play dealing seriously with the question of divorce
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: earnestly, in earnest
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *seh1- Proto-Indo-European *-rós Proto-Italic *sēros Latin sērus Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius ? Proto-Indo-European *swer- Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *swerjos? Latin sērius Proto-Indo-European *h3ed- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h3édosder.? Proto-Italic *-ŏ̄dsos? Old Latin -ōssus Latin -ōsus Medieval Latin sēriōsus Old French serieuxbor. Middle English seryows Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -lech, -ly Middle English seryowslech English seriously From Middle English seriously, sereously, ceryously, seryowslech (“earnestly”), equivalent to serious + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
62 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
بِجِدِّيَّة
(bi-jiddiyya)
— in a serious or literal manner
Arabic:
بجد
(begad)
— in a serious or literal manner
Arabic:
من جد
(min jidd)
— in a serious or literal manner
Arabic:
عن جد
(ʕan jadd)
— in a serious or literal manner
Belarusian:
сур'ё́зна
(surʺjózna)
— in a serious or literal manner
Bulgarian:
серио́зно
(seriózno)
— in a serious or literal manner
Catalan:
seriosament
— in a serious or literal manner
Chinese Mandarin:
認真地 /认真地
(rènzhēn de)
— in a serious or literal manner
Chinese Mandarin:
鄭重地 /郑重地
(zhèngzhòng de)
— in a serious or literal manner
Czech:
vážně
— in a serious or literal manner
Czech:
seriózně
— in a serious or literal manner
Esperanto:
grave
— in a serious or literal manner
Esperanto:
serioze
— in a serious or literal manner
Finnish:
vakavasti
— in a serious or literal manner
Finnish:
tosissaan
— in a serious or literal manner
Finnish:
vakavissaan
— in a serious or literal manner
French:
sérieusement
— in a serious or literal manner
French:
gravement
— in a serious or literal manner
German:
ernst
— in a serious or literal manner
German:
ernsthaft
— in a serious or literal manner
German:
im Ernst
— in a serious or literal manner
Hungarian:
komolyan
— in a serious or literal manner
Italian:
seriamente
— in a serious or literal manner
Italian:
gravemente
— in a serious or literal manner
Japanese:
まじに
(maji ni)
— in a serious or literal manner
Japanese:
真面目に
(majime ni)
— in a serious or literal manner
Japanese:
真剣に
(shinken ni)
— in a serious or literal manner
Latin:
sēriō
— in a serious or literal manner
Macedonian:
серио́зно
(seriózno)
— in a serious or literal manner
Polish:
poważnie
— in a serious or literal manner
Polish:
na serio
— in a serious or literal manner
Polish:
na poważnie
— in a serious or literal manner
Polish:
serio
— in a serious or literal manner
Portuguese:
seriamente
— in a serious or literal manner
Portuguese:
a sério
— in a serious or literal manner
Romanian:
serios
— in a serious or literal manner
Romanian:
cu seriozitate
— in a serious or literal manner
Russian:
серьёзно
(serʹjózno)
— in a serious or literal manner
Slovak:
vážne
— in a serious or literal manner
Spanish:
en serio
— in a serious or literal manner
Spanish:
seriamente
— in a serious or literal manner
Swedish:
allvarligt
— in a serious or literal manner
Swedish:
seriöst
— in a serious or literal manner
Turkish:
cidden
— in a serious or literal manner
Ukrainian:
серйо́зно
(serjózno)
— in a serious or literal manner
Vietnamese:
nghiêm túc
— in a serious or literal manner
Chinese Mandarin:
說真的 /说真的
(shuōzhēnde)
— speech-act
