😏 Not earnestly 🤕 Not severely

unseriously

6.2

Speaks or acts in a joking way

adverb
/ʌnˈsɪrɪəsli/

: de manera frívola

The comedian delivered his routine unseriously, making light of the serious issues.

Examples

Less than a hundred years ago, women were taken so unseriously that they were not allowed to vote.

Blog text (1)
He joked unseriously about the upcoming exam instead of preparing for it.
She spoke so unseriously about the project's challenges that no one took her concerns seriously.

Synonyms

jokingly

vsunseriously

27 2.0

Said or done as a joke and not meant seriously

is not serious but may not be intended to amuse

frivolously

vsunseriously

3 6.4

To act in a not serious, careless way without thinking about the results

is absence of earnestness but can be more neutral than carefree

facetiously

vsunseriously

3 8.1

In a joking way that is not meant to be taken seriously

is not earnest but may be neutral rather than sarcastic

airily

vsunseriously

1 6.7

In a light, careless way that shows little worry

is not serious but may not show unconcern or lightness

kiddingly

vsunseriously

1 3.6

To say or do something in a joking way without being serious

is similar but can lack playful intent and be simply not earnest

inanely

vsunseriously

1 7.3

In a silly way that has no real purpose

is lacking seriousness but not always foolish or pointless

Antonyms

seriously

∞ 1.6

In a way that shows you mean what you say

How Serious

gravely

34 4.6

seriously

606 1.6

earnestly

20 3.9

unseriously

6.2

lightly

116 1.6

playfully

18 1.4

Surface Forms

unseriously positive

Morphology

unseriously = unserious (transparent) = un + serious + ly

The adjective 'unserious' is a clear negative formation from 'serious' with 'un-', and adding '-ly' yields the adverbial meaning directly.

Etymology

Unseriously is formed from un- meaning 'not' and serious meaning 'important or earnest'. So to act unseriously is to be 'not serious', joking or light instead of sincere.