seriousness

/ˈsɪəriəsnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɪriəsnəs/ (ame, ipa)

seriousness — noun

1. how bad, harmful, or dangerous a problem, illness, or difficult situation is — f

1.名詞B2
釋義

how bad, harmful, or dangerous a problem, illness, or difficult situation is — for example, the seriousness of a disease, a crime, or an economic downturn.

例句

The doctor told Yuki's family about the seriousness of her grandmother's heart problem.

collocation: the seriousness of [a medical condition]

It was only after the flood that people understood the seriousness of the damage.

pattern: 'it was…that' structure showing delayed awareness

同義詞
  • gravity

    slightly more formal; preferred for political, legal, or moral contexts ('gravity of the offence')

  • severity

    nearly identical in meaning; often used for physical intensity ('severity of the injury')

  • magnitude

    focuses on scale or size rather than danger or harm ('magnitude of the disaster')

反義詞
  • triviality

    the quality of being unimportant or minor

文法句型

the seriousness of [something]

用法筆記

Uncountable noun. Almost always used with the definite article ('the seriousness of...'). The subject is typically a problem, illness, injury, mistake, or dangerous situation. Common in both formal and everyday contexts.

常見錯誤

❌I did not understand the serious of the situation.
✅I did not understand the seriousness of the situation.
💡'serious' is an adjective; use the noun 'seriousness' after the article 'the'.
❌He spoke about the problem with seriously.
✅He spoke about the problem with seriousness.
💡Use the noun, not the adverb, after the preposition 'with'.

2. the quality of being sincere and meaning what you say or do, rather than joking

2.名詞B2
釋義

the quality of being sincere and meaning what you say or do, rather than joking or being playful — for example, speaking with seriousness about a difficult topic, or treating a task with seriousness.

例句

Zayd spoke with such seriousness that everyone in the room stopped laughing.

pattern: 'with such + noun + that-clause' showing result

The seriousness of the young lawyer's voice made the jury pay close attention.

同義詞
  • sincerity

    emphasises honesty and genuine feeling rather than absence of humour

  • earnestness

    very close in meaning; slightly old-fashioned but interchangeable

  • solemnity

    more formal; often used for ceremonies, rituals, or formal occasions

反義詞
  • frivolity

    lack of seriousness; light-hearted or playful attitude

文法句型

with (great) seriousness

in all seriousness

用法筆記

Uncountable noun. Often describes a person's tone, manner, attitude, or the atmosphere of an event. Distinguish from sense 1 (SEVERITY), which describes how bad something is rather than how sincere someone is. 'In all seriousness' is a common fixed phrase used to mark a shift from joking to earnest speech.

常見錯誤

❌She treated the topic with serious.
✅She treated the topic with seriousness.
💡After the preposition 'with', use the noun form, not the adjective.
❌I say this in all seriously.
✅I say this in all seriousness.
💡The fixed phrase 'in all seriousness' uses the noun, not the adverb 'seriously'.