ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsEearnest
ISEE/SSATmedium
earnest
Meaning: showing sincere and serious intention or feeling
earnest in a sentence
How earnest is used in real sentences:
He made an earnest apology to his teammates after the missed catch.
Her earnest plea to reconsider the decision moved the committee.
“Some petitioners sent verbose appeals, while Elizabeth favored brief notes and earnest promises to consider their cases.”
— from the passage The Queen's Paper Roads
Synonyms for earnest
Other words for earnest — sincere, heartfelt and solemn — carry the same meaning.
- sincere
- heartfelt
- solemn
Antonyms of earnest
Words that mean the opposite of earnest:
- flippant
- insincere
Where it comes from
From Old English eornoste "vigor, seriousness"
Memory hook
EARN-EST -- you must be earnest to truly earn someone's trust.