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Uptight vs Serious - What's the difference?

uptight | serious |

As adjectives the difference between uptight and serious

is that uptight is excessively concerned with rules and order while serious is without humor or expression of happiness; grave in manner or disposition; earnest; thoughtful; solemn.

As a noun uptight

is an uptight person.

uptight

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (colloquial) Excessively concerned with rules and order.
  • Don't be so uptight ! You won't go to jail for crossing the street against the light.
  • (colloquial) Sexually repressed.
  • He came from a very uptight religious background, but you wouldn't know that now!
  • (colloquial) Unfriendly and rude.
  • * 1987 , :
  • Withnail: Just because the best tailoring you’ve ever seen is above your fucking appendix doesn’t mean anything.
    Danny: Don’t get uptight with me, man.

    See also

    * anal retentive

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (colloquial) An uptight person.
  • 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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