a non serious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a non serious" is not correct in standard English; it should be "a non-serious" with a hyphen.
You can use it to describe something that is not serious in nature, often in informal contexts. Example: "His non-serious attitude towards the project frustrated the team."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

However in the majority of children, it is most likely related to a non serious aetiology [ 38] or may spontaneously resolve as evidenced in the placebo arms of RCTs [ 46- 48] and cohort studies [ 49- 51].

Cough

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

"At a non-serious level, he embodies for the French the awkwardness and the sense of humour of British people, a bit like Peter Sellers, although there was more gravitas behind his character.

The Guardian - Film

But Californians slowly lost their appetite for harsh sentencing, and last year voted overwhelmingly in favor of Prop 36, which permits an inmate whose third strike was a non-serious, nonviolent offense to petition for early release.

The New York Times

HC Davos took to the ice in Zurich on Tuesday against ZSC Lions without Rick Nash, who sustained what was described as a non-serious shoulder injury in a Swiss National League A game last Friday.

The New York Times

"These zines are taking something seriously that's thought of as such a non-serious, silly form of art – if it's thought of as a form of art at all," says 21-year-old Martha Perotto-Wills, a student who contributed an essay called Pretty Lies Taylor Swiftt's Blank Space Video, Subversive Femininity and Self-Construction to the I Wear Heels Now zine.

The Guardian

TTH has been considered a non-serious disorder compared to migraine.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

The measure also allows inmates whose third strike is a non-serious, nonviolent offense to petition for early release.

Huffington Post

This is precisely what a non-serious foreign policy discussion sounds like, up until Raddatz says, "I still want to know what comes next".

Huffington Post

After that, Sanders let himself get into a non-serious tactical fight with the Clintons over whether or not she is "qualified" to be president.

Huffington Post

Meanwhile, here's John Boehner, who calls the White House's plan a "non-serious proposal" because it has more spending than he wants.

Huffington Post

His gambit of seizing on the Paris attacks as an excuse to break down private encryption is a non-serious smoke screen.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the hyphenated form "non-serious" to ensure grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid writing "a non serious" without the hyphen. Always use "a non-serious" to clearly indicate that "non" modifies "serious" forming a single adjective.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a non serious" (or, more correctly, "a non-serious") functions as an adjective phrase. The intent is to describe a noun as lacking in seriousness, importance, or gravity. While Ludwig AI marks "a non serious" as incorrect, it can be used in informal contexts when used properly with a hyphen (non-serious).

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a non serious" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "a non-serious", which should be hyphenated. Ludwig AI marks the phrase "a non serious" as grammatically incorrect. When written correctly, it is generally neutral in tone. It is most frequently found in scientific and news contexts, although its usage remains rare. Use the alternative phrases such as "not serious" or "minor" for better clarity and correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not serious

Directly replaces "a non serious" with a more common and grammatically correct alternative.

unimportant

Indicates a lack of significance, similar to something not being serious.

trivial

Emphasizes the lack of value or consequence.

insignificant

Highlights the minimal impact or effect.

frivolous

Suggests a lack of purpose or value, often implying amusement.

minor

Focuses on the scale or extent of the issue, indicating it's small.

inconsequential

Stresses the absence of any meaningful result.

lighthearted

Describes a carefree and cheerful attitude or event.

casual

Highlights a relaxed and informal approach.

not a big deal

Informal way of saying something is not serious or problematic.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "a non-serious" in a sentence?

Ensure you hyphenate the phrase: "a non-serious". For example, "The doctor said it was "a non-serious condition"".

What is a more common alternative to "a non-serious"?

Alternatives include "not serious", "minor", or "trivial", depending on the context.

Is "a non serious" grammatically correct?

No, the grammatically correct form is "a non-serious", using a hyphen to combine "non" and "serious" into a single adjective.

When should I use "non-serious" instead of "not serious"?

"Non-serious" is a more formal and concise way of saying "not serious". Use it when you need a single-word adjective. In most cases, "not serious" works well and sounds more natural.