seriously meaning

seriously means 'in a serious or important way'.

seriously :

in an important way, not joking

adverb

▪ He spoke seriously about the problem.

▪ He talked in an important way about the problem.

▪ She takes her job seriously.

▪ She sees her work as important.

paraphrasing

▪ earnestly – in a sincere way

▪ gravely – in a serious manner

▪ solemnly – with deep sincerity

▪ intently – with great focus

seriously

Pronunciation

seriously [ˈsɪərɪəsli]

The stress is on 'se', and it sounds like 'seer-ee-uhs-lee'.

Common phrases and grammar about seriously

seriously - Common meaning

adverb
in an important way, not joking

Part of Speech Changes for "seriously"

▪ serious (adjective) – important, not funny

▪ seriousness (noun) – the state of being serious

Common Expressions with "seriously"

▪ take seriously – to see as important

▪ speak seriously – to talk in an important way

▪ consider seriously – to think about carefully

▪ look seriously – to see in a focused way

Important examples of seriously in TOEIC

Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test

In TOEIC vocabulary questions, seriously is often used to show the importance of an action or statement.

▪She seriously considered the offer.
▪She thought about the offer in an important way.

Example of a confusing word: severely (harshly or intensely)

▪She severely considered the offer.
▪She considered the offer in a harsh or intense manner.
"Seriously" is an adverb used to indicate that something is done with importance or earnestness, as in "She seriously considered the offer," which means she gave it careful and important thought. "Severely," however, means "harshly" or "intensely" and does not fit well in this context, as it implies a negative or extreme manner, which is not the intended meaning here. Therefore, "seriously" is the correct choice for expressing thoughtful consideration.

Grammar examples from the TOEIC test

In TOEIC grammar questions, seriously often modifies verbs to show the manner of action.

▪He seriously prepared for the meeting.
▪He got ready for the meeting in an important way.

seriously

Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC

take seriously

means 'to regard as important', often used in business contexts.

▪We take customer feedback seriously.
▪We see customer feedback as important.

not take lightly

means 'to treat with importance', often used to emphasize seriousness.

▪This issue is not taken lightly by the team.
▪The team treats this issue with importance.

Differences between similar words and seriously

seriously

,

earnestly

differences

Seriously means with importance or gravity, while earnestly means with sincere and intense conviction.

seriously
▪She seriously addressed the audience.
▪She talked to the audience in an important way.
earnestly
▪He earnestly pleaded for help.
▪He sincerely asked for help.
seriously

Words with the same origin as seriously

The origin of seriously

The word's etymology is not clear.

Word structure

The analysis of the word's composition is unclear.

Words with the same origin

The word's root is unclear or difficult to confirm.

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