earnest

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An earnest person is someone who means what they say and does what they promise.

When we call someone "earnest", it usually means that they are sincere and genuine. They don't try to hide their true feelings or intentions, but instead speak from the heart and do things with integrity. For example, if you ask a friend to help you move and they show up right on time, even though it's a big job, we might say they were "earnest" about helping out. We can also use earnest in phrases like "an earnest attempt", where someone is trying their best to achieve something. In this sense, earnest has a slightly different nuance - it's not just about being sincere, but also about putting in effort and dedication.

How common is "earnest"?

Word earnest is considered uncommon in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
Definitions

noun

  • Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness.

    Example: 1914, February 13, The Times, Obituary: Canon Augustus Jessopp He wrote well in a forcible, colloquial style, with the air of being tremendously in earnest, and full of knowledge which overflowed his pages, tricked out with somewhat boisterous illustrations.

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