seriously

/ˈsɪəriəsli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɪriəsli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsir-ē-əs-lē/ (ame, mw)

seriously — adverb

1. to a large or worrying degree, especially when talking about harm, damage, or ne

1.副詞B1
釋義

to a large or worrying degree, especially when talking about harm, damage, or negative situations — for example, being seriously ill, injured, or affected by something bad.

例句

Hoa was seriously injured in the car accident last month.

seriously + passive participle (injured) expressing degree of harm

The storm seriously damaged the roofs of several houses in the village.

seriously + active verb (damaged) for degree of negative impact

同義詞
  • severely

    interchangeable; suggests greater harshness of impact

  • badly

    more common in spoken English; less formal

  • gravely

    more formal; used for very serious situations like illness or mistakes

反義詞
  • slightly

    opposite in degree — a small extent rather than a large one

  • mildly

    suggests a weak or gentle degree of impact

文法句型

seriously + adjective (e.g. seriously injured)

seriously + verb (e.g. seriously damaged)

用法筆記

Commonly pairs with past participles of verbs that describe negative outcomes: injured, damaged, affected, polluted, ill. Not used with positive adjectives (do not say 'seriously beautiful').

常見錯誤

❌The cake was seriously delicious.' (meaning 'very delicious')
✅The cake was extremely delicious.
💡In standard English, 'seriously' as a degree adverb is reserved for negative outcomes; using it for positive qualities belongs to informal/slang use (see sense 4).

2. in a way that shows honest, sincere intention rather than humour or play — also

2.副詞B1
釋義

in a way that shows honest, sincere intention rather than humour or play — also used at the start of a statement to show that the speaker is moving from joking to a more earnest topic.

例句

Imran spoke seriously about the need to protect the environment.

seriously as adverb of manner — how someone speaks

We were laughing a moment ago, but seriously, the deadline is only two days away.

discourse marker: 'Seriously, + statement' shifting tone

同義詞
  • earnestly

    more formal; suggests deep conviction

  • sincerely

    focuses on honesty rather than gravity

  • honestly

    overlaps but also functions as a discourse marker

反義詞
  • jokingly

    opposite manner — not meant to be taken seriously

  • playfully

    in a light-hearted, unserious way

文法句型

seriously + verb (e.g. seriously talk)

Seriously, + clause (discourse marker)

用法筆記

As a sentence adverb (discourse marker), 'Seriously' often begins a sentence and is followed by a comma: 'Seriously, we need to talk.' It signals that the speaker is dropping a light or joking tone and becoming earnest.

3. used in the fixed expression 'take (someone / something) seriously', meaning to

3.副詞B1
釋義

used in the fixed expression 'take (someone / something) seriously', meaning to treat a person, idea, problem, or situation as important, genuine, or dangerous enough to deserve your full attention or respect.

例句

Tamar did not take the warning from the weather service seriously.

negative form: 'not take X seriously' — dismissing something important

The school board finally took the bullying problem seriously after parents complained.

take + (problem) + seriously — treating an issue as important

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

take + noun phrase + seriously

用法筆記

This sense only appears in the phrase 'take [object] seriously'. The object can be a person (take him seriously), an idea (take the suggestion seriously), or a situation (take the threat seriously). Rarely used in the progressive aspect ('is taking seriously').

常見錯誤

❌I take serious my studies.
✅I take my studies seriously.
💡'Seriously' is an adverb modifying 'take'; 'serious' is an adjective and would modify the noun.

4. used in informal speech and writing to mean 'very' or 'extremely', adding strong

4.副詞B2
釋義

used in informal speech and writing to mean 'very' or 'extremely', adding strong emphasis — for example, saying a meal was 'seriously good' or a film was 'seriously funny'.

例句

That new Thai restaurant is seriously good — we should go again.

informal intensifier: 'seriously good' = 'very good'

Defne ran seriously fast in the school race and came in first place.

seriously + adverb (fast) for emphasis

同義詞
  • extremely

    more formal; works in both formal and informal contexts

  • really

    equally informal; more common in everyday speech

  • super

    informal; common among younger speakers

文法句型

seriously + adjective (e.g. seriously good)

seriously + adverb (e.g. seriously fast)

用法筆記

Restricted to informal contexts — conversation, social media, casual writing. Not appropriate in academic essays, business reports, or formal letters. Sense 4 usage with positive adjectives ('seriously good', 'seriously funny') is the best test to distinguish it from sense 1, which is restricted to negative outcomes.

常見錯誤

❌The patient is seriously well.' (formal medical context)
✅The patient is doing well.
💡Using 'seriously' as a general intensifier in formal contexts sounds odd; reserve it for informal situations.