adj. concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities; "a serious student of history"; "a serious attempt to learn to ski"; "gave me a serious look"; "a serious young man"; "are you serious or joking?"; "Don't be so serious!"

adj. of great consequence; "marriage is a serious matter"

adj. appealing to the mind; "good music"; "a serious book"

adj. causing vexation or worry: "trying times"; "serious problems"

adj. characterized by diligent study and fondness for reading; "a bookish farmer who always had a book in his pocket"; "a quiet studious child"

adj. (unplayful)

adj. causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; "a dangerous operation"; "a grave situation"; "a grave illness"; "grievous bodily harm"; "a serious wound"; "a serious turn of events"; "a severe case of pneumonia"; "a life-threatening disease"

adj. fraught with danger; "dangerous waters"; "a parlous journey on stormy seas"; "a perilous voyage across the Atlantic in a small boat"; "the precarious life of an undersea diver"; "dangerous surgery followed by a touch-and-go recovery"

adj. characterized by dignity and propriety

adj. not subject to change or variation especially in behavior; "a steady beat"; "a steady job"; "a steady breeze"; "a steady increase"; "a good steady ballplayer"

adj. exaggeratedly proper; "my straitlaced Aunt Anna doesn't approve of my miniskirts"

adj. marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness; "proper medical treatment"; "proper manners"

adj. causing dejection; "a blue day"; "the dark days of the war"; "a week of rainy depressing weather"; "a disconsolate winter landscape"; "the first dismal dispiriting days of November"; "a dark gloomy day"; "grim rainy weather"

adj. showing a brooding ill humor; "a dark scowl"; "the proverbially dour New England Puritan"; "a glum, hopeless shrug"; "he sat in moody silence"; "a morose and unsociable manner"; "a saturnine, almost misanthropic young genius"- Bruce Bliven; "a sour temper"; "a sullen crowd"

adj. characterized by intense emotion; "ardent love"; "an ardent lover"; "a burning enthusiasm"; "a fervent desire to change society"; "a fervent admirer"; "fiery oratory"; "an impassioned appeal"; "a torrid love affair"

adj. characterized by careful evaluation and judgment; "a critical reading"; "a critical dissertation"; "a critical analysis of Melville's writings"

adj. important in effect or meaning; "a significant change in tax laws"; "a significant change in the Constitution"; "a significant contribution"; "significant details"; "statistically significant"

adj. determining or having the power to determine an outcome; "cast the decisive vote"; "two factors had a decisive influence"

adj. being of crucial importance; "a pivotal event"; "Its pivotal location has also exposed it to periodic invasions"- Henry Kissinger; "the polar events of this study"; "a polar principal"

adj. performing an essential function in the living body; "vital organs"; "blood and other vital fluids"; "the loss of vital heat in shock"; "a vital spot"; "life-giving love and praise"

adj. demanding attention; "clamant needs"; "a crying need"; "regarded literary questions as exigent and momentous"- H.L.Mencken; "insistent hunger"; "an instant need"

adj. causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; "a dangerous operation"; "a grave situation"; "a grave illness"; "grievous bodily harm"; "a serious wound"; "a serious turn of events"; "a severe case of pneumonia"; "a life-threatening disease"

adj. showing intellectual penetration or emotional depths; from the depths of your being; "the differences are profound"; "a profound insight"; "a profound book"; "a profound mind"; "profound contempt"; "profound regret"

adj. requiring or showing effort; "heavy breathing"; "the subject made for labored reading"

adj. causing irritation or annoyance; "tapping an annoying rhythm on his glass with his fork"; "aircraft noise is particularly bothersome near the airport"; "found it galling to have to ask permission"; "an irritating delay"; "nettlesome paperwork"; "a pesky mosquito"; "swarms of pestering gnats"; "a plaguey newfangled safety catch"; "a teasing and persistent thought annoyed him"; "a vexatious child"; "it is vexing to have to admit you are wrong"

adj. not easily borne; wearing; "the burdensome task of preparing the income tax return"; "my duties weren't onerous; I only had to greet the guests"; "a taxing schedule"

adj. characterized by toilsome effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort; "worked their arduous way up the mining valley"; "a grueling campaign"; "hard labor"; "heavy work"; "heavy going"; "spent many laborious hours on the project"; "set a punishing pace"

adj. "took a hard look"

adj. marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable; "firm convictions"; "a firm mouth"; "steadfast resolve"; "a man of unbendable perseverence"; "unwavering loyalty"

adj. explained or answered; "mysteries solved and unsolved; problems resolved and unresolved"

adj. giving or marked by complete attention to; "that engrossed look or rapt delight"; "then wrapped in dreams"; "so intent on this fantastic...narrative that she hardly stirred"- Walter de la Mare; "rapt with wonder"; "wrapped in thought"

adj. causing or capable of causing death; "a fatal accident"; "a deadly enemy"; "mortal combat"; "a mortal illness"

adj. having momentous consequences; of decisive importance; "that fateful meeting of the U.N. when...it declared war on North Korea"- Saturday Rev; "the fatal day of the election finally arrived"

adj. dangerous to health; characterized by progressive and uncontrolled growth (especially of a tumor)

adj. containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice; "discriminatory attitudes and practices"; "invidious comparisons"

adj. having the nature of or resulting from malice; "malicious gossip"; "took malicious pleasure in...watching me wince"- Rudyard Kipling

adj. marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed; "a furtive manner"; "a sneak attack"; "stealthy footsteps"; "a surreptitious glance at his watch"

adj. exceedingly harmful

adj. capable of harming; "bad habits"; "bad air"; "smoking is bad for you"

adj. not financially safe or secure; "a bad investment"; "high risk investments"; "anything that promises to pay too much can't help being risky"; "speculative business enterprises"

adj. not financially safe or secure; "a bad investment"; "high risk investments"; "anything that promises to pay too much can't help being risky"; "speculative business enterprises"

adj. having undesirable or negative qualities; "a bad report card"; "his sloppy appearance made a bad impression"; "a bad little boy"; "clothes in bad shape"; "a bad cut"; "bad luck"; "the news was very bad"; "the reviews were bad"; "the pay is bad"; "it was a bad light for reading"; "the movie was a bad choice"

adj. (sometimes followed by `to') causing harm or injury; "damaging to career and reputation"; "the reporter's coverage resulted in prejudicial publicity for the defendant"

adj. harmful to living things; "deleterious chemical additives"

adj. detrimental to physical or moral well-being; "unwholesome food"; "unwholesome habits like smoking"

adj. working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way; "glaucoma is an insidious disease"; "a subtle poison"

adj. causing or capable of causing harm; "too much sun is harmful to the skin"; "harmful effects of smoking"

adj. dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises; "a grave God-fearing man"; "a quiet sedate nature"; "as sober as a judge"; "a solemn promise"; "the judge was solemn as he pronounced sentence"

adj. important in effect or meaning; "a significant change in tax laws"; "a significant change in the Constitution"; "a significant contribution"; "significant details"; "statistically significant"

adj. characterized by dignity and propriety

adj. dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises; "a grave God-fearing man"; "a quiet sedate nature"; "as sober as a judge"; "a solemn promise"; "the judge was solemn as he pronounced sentence"

adj. of extreme importance; vital to the resolution of a crisis; "a crucial moment in his career"; "a crucial election"; "a crucial issue for women"

adj. intense or extreme in degree or quality: "intense anxiety,"; "extreme cold"; "deep trouble"; "horrible weather"; "profound regret"; "severe pain"; "such grief"; "a terrible cough"

adj. having important issues or results; "the year's only really consequential legislation"; "an eventful decision"

adj. of very great significance; "deciding to drop the atom bomb was a very big decision"; "a momentous event"

adj. marked by intense physical force: "a big wind"; "a violent squall"; "heavy seas"; "high winds"

adj. of comparatively great physical weight or density; "a heavy load"; "lead is a heavy metal"; "heavy mahogany furniture"

adj. having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions; "an acute observer of politics and politicians"; "incisive comments"; "icy knifelike reasoning"; "as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"; "penetrating insight"; "frequent penetrative observations"

adj. of great consequence; "marriage is a serious matter"

adj. of the greatest importance; "the all-important subject of disarmament"; "crucial information"; "in chess cool nerves are of the essence"

adj. first in order of importance; "the alpha male in the group of chimpanzees"; "the alpha star in a constellation is the brightest or main star"

adj. significant; "graduation was a big day in his life"

adj. of immediate import; "burning issues of the day"

adj. serving as an essential component; "a cardinal rule"; "the central cause of the problem"; "an example that was fundamental to the argument"; "computers are fundamental to modern industrial structure"

adj. most important element; "the chief aim of living"; "the main doors were of solid glass"; "the principal rivers of America"; "the principal example"; "policemen were primary targets"

adj. having important issues or results; "the year's only really consequential legislation"; "an eventful decision"

adj. of radical or major importance; "a Copernican revolution in modern art"

adj. (used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation; "our distinguished professor"; "an eminent scholar"; "a great statesman"

adj. important in history; "the historic first voyage to outer space"

adj. indicating the head of a staff; "editor-in-chief"

adj. of distinguished importance; "a measurable figure in literature"

adj. highly important to or an integral part of a strategy or plan of action especially in war; "a strategic chess move"; "strategic withdrawal"; "strategic bombing missions"

adj. having great material or monetary value especially for use or exchange; "another human being equally valuable in the sight of God"; "a valuable diamond"

adj. highly cultured or educated; "highbrow events such as the ballet or opera"; "a highbrowed literary critic"

adj. having its source in or being guided by the intellect (distinguished from experience or emotion); "a rational analysis"

adj. devoted to matters of the mind; "the reflective type"

adj. intellectually appealing; "a sophisticated drama"

adj. requiring full use of your abilities or resources; "ambitious schedule"; "performed the most challenging task without a mistake"

adj. making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe; "a baffling problem"; "I faced the knotty problem of what to have for breakfast"; "a problematic situation at home"

adj. having concealed difficulty; "a catchy question"; "a tricky recipe to follow"

adj. difficult to handle; requiring great tact; "delicate negotiations with the big powers";"hesitates to be explicit on so ticklish a matter"; "a touchy subject"

adj. impressively difficult; "a tall order"

adj. extremely difficult; requiring the strength of a Hercules; "a herculean task"

adj. hard to manage; inclined to make trouble: "a difficult child"

adj. requiring great effort; "a hard-fought primary"

adj. very unpleasant; "hellish weather"; "stop that god-awful racket"

adj. exasperatingly difficult to handle or circumvent; "a nasty problem"; "a good man to have on your side in a tight situation"

adj. full of hardship or trials; "the rocky road to success"; "they were having a rough time"

adj. causing difficulty in finding an answer or solution; much disputed; "the vexed issue of priorities"; "we live in vexed and troubled times"

adj. marked by care and persistent effort; "her assiduous attempts to learn French"; "assiduous research"; "sedulous pursuit of legal and moral principles"

adj. characterized by hard work and perseverance

adj. fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless; "a desperate illness"; "on all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel"- G.C.Marshall; "a dire emergency"

adj. fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless; "a desperate illness"; "on all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel"- G.C.Marshall; "a dire emergency"

adj. not serious in content or attitude or behavior; "a frivolous novel"; "a frivolous remark"; "a frivolous young woman"

adj. concerned with trivialities; "a trivial young woman"; "a trivial mind"

adj. lacking seriousness; given to frivolity; "a dizzy blonde"; "light-headed teenagers"; "silly giggles"

adj. lacking sincerity; "a charming but thoroughly insincere woman"; "their praise was extravagant and insincere"

adj. cleverly amusing in tone; "a bantering tone"; "facetious remarks"; "tongue-in-cheek advice"

adj. having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved; "a simple problem"; "simple mechanisms"; "a simple design"; "a simple substance"

adj. easy and not involved or complicated; "an elementary problem in statistics"; "elementary, my dear Watson"; "a simple game"; "found an uncomplicated solution to the problem"