Earnest
Earnest adjective - Not joking or playful in mood or manner.
Usage example: I'll accept only an earnest apology from you
Professional and earnest are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Professional" instead an adjective "Earnest".
Nearby Words: earnestness, earnestly
Professional
Professional adjective - Of or relating to or suitable as a profession.
Earnest and professional are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Earnest" instead an adjective "Professional".
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
-
While professional wrestling moves are meant more for show than for actual practical application, often telegraphing most severely, it's safe to say that if some of those moves were performed in earnest, they would hurt.
Source: I Am Not Left-Handed -
Norman keeps thinking of the project as "a joke" (which he did in professional earnest, but still), enjoys the house that the report paid for, and is pretty much near-horrified when he finds out that the Navy has been using it as gospel since they found the ship.
Source: Literature / Sphere
Cite this Source
Professional and Earnest. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 10, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/earnest/professional
Earnest & Professional. N.p., 2016. Web. 10 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/earnest/professional>.
Professional or Earnest. 2016. Accessed August 10, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/earnest/professional.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "earnest" and "professional" have occurred on timeline