serious

Everyday

1. Serious means bad or dangerous enough to worry about: a serious illness, a serious accident. tree →
2. A serious person is thoughtful and not joking or laughing. tree →
3. If you are serious about something, you really mean it and are not pretending. tree →
4. Serious can mean important and needing careful thought: a serious talk. tree →

In the lessons

In safety lessons «serious» marks danger that needs an adult or emergency help: a serious burn, a serious injury, a serious allergy. In stories a serious face or voice tells the reader a character is not joking and something important is happening. In everyday talk: «Are you serious?» means «Do you really mean it?». Phrases: take something seriously, seriously hurt, a serious face, deadly serious.

Examples

• A serious cut needs a doctor, not just a plaster. tree →
• Grandpa had a serious look on his face when he read the letter. tree →
• Are you serious? You really saw a fox in the garden? tree →
• The teacher wants to have a serious talk with the class about bullying. tree →
• Take fire alarms seriously and leave the building straight away. tree →
• She is serious about learning the piano and practises every day. tree →
• The flood caused serious damage to the town. tree →
• He tried to stay serious, but he started to giggle. tree →
• It was a serious matter for him. tree →

Note

Comparison: more serious, most serious (not «seriouser»). Adverb: seriously («seriously hurt»). Opposite in the joking sense: funny, playful, joking; opposite in the danger sense: minor, slight. «Serious» does not mean «sad», though a serious face can look sad.