serious enough

USAGE SUMMARY

"serious enough" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate something is serious in its degree or level. For example: "The consequences of your mistake were serious enough to put your job in jeopardy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Not serious enough, it seems.

The Economist

You don't look serious enough".

The New York Times - Magazine

In my eyes it wasn't serious enough.

The New York Times

But his purpose is serious enough.

The Guardian

Arefaine wasn't serious enough, he said.

The New Yorker

The issue, though, was serious enough.

The New York Times

It's serious enough that it scared me pretty well.

The New York Times - Sports

But apparently she was serious enough to meet with attorneys.

The New York Times - Magazine

Eight cases were serious enough to require skin grafts.

Independent

He was serious enough to crack a second joke.

Independent

And when it's serious enough, that punishment must mean prison.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "serious enough", ensure the context clearly establishes what standard or threshold of seriousness is being referenced. Providing explicit criteria makes the statement more precise and impactful.

Common error

Avoid using "serious enough" when a simpler adjective like "serious" suffices. Overusing qualifiers can dilute the impact and make your writing seem less direct.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "serious enough" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, indicating that something possesses a degree of seriousness that meets a certain threshold or requirement. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "serious enough" is a versatile phrase used to indicate that something meets a particular threshold of seriousness. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and its frequent occurrence in diverse contexts, predominantly in news, scientific, and business domains. When employing this phrase, it's beneficial to ensure that the standard of seriousness is clear to avoid ambiguity. While grammatically sound and widely used, be mindful of potential redundancy and opt for simpler alternatives when appropriate. By following these guidelines, you can effectively integrate "serious enough" into your writing to convey the intended degree of severity or importance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sufficiently serious

Replaces "enough" with "sufficiently", emphasizing adequacy in seriousness.

grave enough

Substitutes "serious" with "grave", highlighting the severity of the situation.

critical enough

Emphasizes the importance or urgency of the matter.

severe enough

Focuses on the intensity or harshness of the situation.

important enough

Shifts the focus to the significance or relevance of something.

considerably serious

Modifies "serious" with "considerably" to enhance the degree of seriousness.

decidedly serious

Stresses the unambiguous nature of the seriousness.

alarming enough

Highlights the worrying or frightening aspect of the seriousness.

troubling enough

Indicates the worrying or concerning nature of the situation.

worrisome enough

Focuses on the anxiety or concern caused by the level of seriousness.

FAQs

How can I use "serious enough" in a sentence?

Use "serious enough" to indicate that something meets a certain threshold of seriousness. For example, "The injury was "serious enough" to require surgery".

What are some alternatives to "serious enough"?

You can use phrases like "sufficiently serious", "grave enough", or "critical enough", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "very serious enough"?

Yes, saying "very serious enough" is generally redundant. The phrase "serious enough" already implies a significant degree of seriousness, so adding "very" is unnecessary. Stick to either "very serious" or "serious enough".

What's the difference between "serious enough" and "quite serious"?

"Serious enough" suggests a threshold has been met, while "quite serious" simply indicates a high degree of seriousness without necessarily reaching a specific threshold. For example, "The situation was "serious enough" to warrant intervention" implies action was necessary, while "The situation was quite serious" simply describes the state of affairs.