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Pensive vs Serious - What's the difference?

pensive | serious |

As adjectives the difference between pensive and serious

is that pensive is having the appearance of deep, often melancholic, thinking while serious is without humor or expression of happiness; grave in manner or disposition; earnest; thoughtful; solemn.

pensive

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Having the appearance of deep, often melancholic, thinking.
  • Looking thoughtful, especially from sadness.
  • * 1748 . David Hume. Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. ยง 4.
  • Abstruse thought and profound researches I prohibit, and will severely punish, by the pensive melancholy which they introduce

    Derived terms

    * pensively * pensiveness

    Anagrams

    * ----

    serious

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Without humor or expression of happiness; grave in manner or disposition; earnest; thoughtful; solemn.
  • It was a surprise to see the captain, who had always seemed so serious , laugh so heartily.
  • Important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play; needing great attention; critical.
  • This is a serious problem. We'll need our best experts.
  • Really intending what is said; being in earnest; not jesting or deceiving; meaningful.
  • After all these years, we're finally getting serious attention.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * trifling, unimportant * (intending what is said) jesting

    Derived terms

    * srs (abbreviation) * dead serious * seriously * seriousness * serious-minded * serious-mindedly * serious-mindedness

    Statistics

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