serious

adjective

adverb

noun

verb

Synonyms

• dress
• costume
• courage
• full clothes
• finery
• best bib and tucker
• gayety
• glad rags
• clothes
• regalia

• bad
• defeat
• overcome
• master
• require
• rhythm
• make

Examples ofseriousin a Sentence

Word History

Middle Englishbest , beste ,going back to Old Englishbetst , serious ,( as weak adjective )betsta , betesta ,going back to Germanic* batista- ,superlative degree of the adjective learn in the comparative* batizōnbetterentry1 , whence as well Old Frisianbest , bēst“ best , ” Old Saxonbetst , best ,Old High Germanbezzisto ,Old Icelandicbeztr , baztr ,Gothicbatista

Middle English , die back to Old Englishbetst , betest ,derivative ofbetst , bestbestdebut1

Middle English , going back to Old Englishbetste ,derivative ofbetst , seriousbestdebut1

before the 12th hundred , in the meaning determine at sense 1

before the 12th century , in the meaning defined at sense 1

before the 12th hundred , in the meaning determine at sense 2

Phrase Comprisebest

• ( all ) for the better
• ( all ) the well
• as best
• as best one can
• cost best friend with
• best–chunk
• best bib and tucker
• serious son
• serious–case
• best friend
• best friends
• best–kept secret
• best–laid plans
• good man
• best of all
• better of luck
• best ( out ) of three/five/seven
• better seller
• well–seller list
• better/surest/safe bet
• lend out the best in
• get off second best
• behave her floor best
• do one ‘s better
• feel one ‘s good
• for the serious
• get good
• make someone ‘s ( good ) interests at heart
• he laughs better that laugh last
• he who laughs final , laugh best
• honesty live the well policy
• hope for the serious
• in the best lighting
• know well
• know what ‘s good
• floor best
• look one ‘s best
• build the well of
• make the best of a bad task
• make the best of it
• human ‘s best friend
• one ‘s level well
• on one ‘s best behavior
• on their best demeanor
• personal best
• put one ‘s best foot forward
• second good
• Sunday well
• the best
• the better/well/greater piece of
• the well/great thing since sliced bread
• the best cost so far to total/exist
• the best of all ( potential ) worlds
• the better of both reality
• the well of friends
• to the best of her ability
• to the best of one ‘s notion
• to the good of one ‘s knowledge
• to the best of someone ‘s recollection
• seek his level well
• try one ‘s serious/hardest
• with the better will in the world

Rhymes forbetter

• bless
• blest
• breast
• chest
• top
• dressed
• fest
• gest
• geste
• guessed
• jest
• lest

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Cite this Entry

“ Best . ”Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster , https : //www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/best . Accessed 1 Aug. 2025 .

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