it was something serious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was something serious" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a situation or event that had significant importance or gravity. Example: "When I heard the news, I realized it was something serious that we needed to address immediately."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

"We just sort of knew it was something serious".

The New York Times - Style

By the look on his face, she said later, "I knew it was something serious".

The New Yorker

If he thought it was something serious, he would've called them".

The New York Times - Sports

"I opened the letter in front of him because I knew it was something serious," he said.

The New York Times

"When I saw the scene on the TV it was immediately clear that it was something serious.

The Guardian - Sport

We didn't really think it was something serious, but we also didn't have a lot of time to think about that".

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

"It's something serious".

The New York Times - Magazine

The fans in the stands, they don't see if it's something serious or not".

The New York Times

One day you run up and down and the next day it's something serious.

The New York Times - Sports

But when it's something serious — as serious as cancer, as the expression goes — speaking up becomes oddly terrifying.

The New York Times - Magazine

"One of the joys of the library is that you can wander and browse at will, and anyone who has done that has experienced the delight of coming across something totally unexpected, whether it's something serious or something which just lifts the spirits," said librarian Inez Lynn.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it was something serious" when you want to convey that a situation or event had significant implications or potential consequences. This phrase is suitable for both narrative and descriptive contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "it was something serious" too frequently in your writing, as it can become repetitive. Vary your language by using synonyms or more specific descriptions of the situation's severity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was something serious" functions as a statement conveying the significance or gravity of a past situation or event. It serves to emphasize the importance of what occurred, as evidenced by Ludwig's examples, where the phrase is used to describe situations ranging from medical concerns to serious accidents.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was something serious" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that a situation or event held significant importance or gravity. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides examples across various contexts, primarily in news and media, as well as science. While versatile, overusing the phrase can lead to repetitiveness, so it's beneficial to consider synonyms such as "it was a grave matter" or "it was a critical situation" to enhance your writing. The phrase maintains a neutral register, making it suitable for both formal and informal communication while effectively conveying the gravity of a situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was a grave matter

Replaces "serious" with "grave", emphasizing the weighty nature of the situation.

it was a critical situation

Substitutes "serious" with "critical", highlighting the potential for negative outcomes.

it was an important issue

Uses "important issue" instead of "something serious", focusing on the significance of the matter.

it was a significant event

Replaces "something serious" with "significant event", emphasizing the noteworthiness of what occurred.

it was a major concern

Changes "serious" to "major concern", indicating worry and importance.

it was a dire circumstance

Replaces with a more intense description, dire circumstance.

it was a weighty affair

Substitutes with "weighty affair", suggesting importance and potential consequences.

it was nothing to laugh about

Expresses the seriousness by stating the opposite of a trivial matter.

it was a matter of consequence

Uses "matter of consequence" instead of "something serious", emphasizing the potential impact.

it was of great import

Substitutes with the more formal "of great import", indicating high importance.

FAQs

What does "it was something serious" mean?

The phrase "it was something serious" means that a situation, event or matter was of significant importance, gravity, or consequence.

What can I say instead of "it was something serious"?

You can use alternatives like "it was a grave matter", "it was a critical situation", or "it was an important issue" depending on the context.

How to use "it was something serious" in a sentence?

You can use "it was something serious" to describe a past event or situation that had significant implications. For example: "When the doctor called, I knew "it was something serious"."

What is the difference between "it was something serious" and "it was not serious"?

"It was something serious" indicates that a situation had important or grave implications, while "it was not serious" suggests the opposite: that a situation was minor or insignificant.