FluentPlex

earnest

/ˈɝ.nɪst/ adjective B1
  1. Serious, sincere, ingenuous.
  2. Focused in the pursuit of an objective; honestly eager to obtain or do.
  3. Intent; focused; showing a lot of concentration. · earnest attention
  4. Possessing or characterised by seriousness. · an earnest disposition
  5. Strenuous; diligent. · earnest efforts
  6. Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; important.

Comparative earnester · Superlative earnestest

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From the library

--“My mind, however, is now made up on the subject; for, having received ordination at Easter, I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her Ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England.
Pride and Prejudice, p. 69 · B2
Philips began to express her concern thereupon, he assured her, with much earnest gravity, that it was not of the least importance; that he considered the money as a mere trifle, and begged she would not make herself uneasy.
Pride and Prejudice, p. 93 · B2
Jane confessed herself a little surprised at the match: but she said less of her astonishment than of her earnest desire for their happiness; nor could Elizabeth persuade her to consider it as improbable.
Pride and Prejudice, p. 149 · B2
Collins and Charlotte were both standing at the gate in conversation with the ladies; and Sir William, to Elizabeth’s high diversion, was stationed in the doorway, in earnest contemplation of the greatness before him, and constantly bowing whenever Miss De Bourgh looked that way.
Pride and Prejudice, p. 184 · B2

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Words, meanings, pronunciations and translations from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); how common each word is from wordfreq. Made into this dictionary by FluentPlex.