# seriously

Pronunciation: say "SEER-ee-uhs-lee" US /ˈsɪɹi.əsli/, UK /ˈsɪəɹi.əsli/

## Adverb

1. In a serious or literal way: meaning what is said honestly, rather than as a joke or exaggeration.
   - Simple: In a way that is serious and not joking.
   - _The doctor explained the risks seriously, choosing each word with care._
   - _When she says she is quitting her job, take it seriously, because she means it._
2. To a grave or deep degree; very much, as when an illness, injury, or problem affects someone badly.
   - Simple: Very much, or in a bad way that is worrying.
   - _The patient was seriously injured and needed immediate surgery._
   - _Their finances were seriously affected by the long strike._
3. To an extreme or major degree, used to stress how great or intense something is. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Used to mean very much, in a big or extreme way.
   - _This new phone is seriously fast._
   - _We were seriously impressed by the band's performance._
4. Used to shift from a lighthearted conversation to a genuine or important point that the speaker wants taken in earnest.
   - Simple: Used to start saying something important after joking around.
   - _We laughed about it for a while, but seriously, we should fix the leak before winter._
   - _Seriously, though, thank you for everything you did for us this year._
5. Used to express disbelief about something just said, or to add emphasis when returning to an earlier point.
   - Simple: Used to show disbelief about something just said, or to stress a point already mentioned.
   - _Seriously, you expect me to believe that story?_
   - _They canceled the trip after all that planning? Seriously?_

## Origin

From Middle English seriously (also spelled sereously and ceryously), meaning "earnestly," equivalent to serious plus the suffix -ly.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/seriously (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).