Looking up...
be serious
/biː ˈsɪriəs/
to be sincere or earnest
If you want to succeed, you need to be serious about your goals.
This means you must take your goals sincerely and work hard to achieve them.
informal
to be sincere, earnest, or committed to something
She was serious about her studies and never missed a class.
She took her studies very seriously and attended every class.
He’s not serious about the relationship; he’s just playing around.
He doesn’t take the relationship seriously; he’s just having fun without commitment.
Often used to describe someone who is focused, determined, or not joking.
Collocations
be serious aboutto be committed to or focused on somethingtake something seriouslyto treat something with importance
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
The phrase 'be serious' can be used both positively (to praise commitment) and negatively (to criticize lack of sincerity). Pay attention to tone.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
While 'be serious' is useful, overusing it can make your speech sound repetitive. Vary your vocabulary with synonyms like 'earnest' or 'committed.'
Word Origin
From Middle English 'serious,' meaning 'grave' or 'solemn,' derived from Latin 'serius,' meaning 'earnest.'
Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to emphasize sincerity or commitment. It can also be used to question someone's intent, as in 'Are you serious?'
Word Breakdown
be
to exist in a certain state
verbserious
sincere, earnest, or important
adjectiveEnglish Dictionary