earnest

01. He is very [earnest] in everything he does, and takes himself very seriously.

02. He's a lazy guy who will only work in [earnest] when he knows someone is watching him.

03. She has a very [earnest] desire to help poor people in our city.

04. He is a very [earnest] young man, but he doesn't have enough experience for this kind of work.

05. I am very [earnest] when I say that I will never do that again.

06. He has made an [earnest] effort to control his drinking.

07. People have got to understand that these terrorists are deadly [earnest] when they say that this country could be a target.

08. You'll have to make a more [earnest] effort on your homework if you hope to pass the course.

09. He spoke [earnestly] of the need to deal with the problem of the city's homeless people.

10. Some people laugh at the guy's [earnestness] because he seems to think that he can single-handedly change the world.

11. "Do you think I did a good job?" she asked [earnestly].

12. Everyone listened [earnestly] as Hector explained his plan.

13. I [earnestly] hope that what you're saying is true, but I am a bit doubtful at this point.

14. A German proverb remarks, "Said in sport, meant in [earnest]."

15. Thoreau once said, "I have lived some thirty-odd years on this planet, and I have yet to hear the first syllable of valuable or even [earnest] advice from my seniors."

16. Twenty years ago, conservation groups in this state began campaiging in [earnest] for the protection of our rapidly diminishing old-growth forests.