In a serious manner:
— A play dealing seriously with the question of divorce.

synonyms: earnestly, in earnest.

Roget 604: resolutely etc. adj.; in earnest, in good earnest; seriously, joking apart, earnestly, heart and soul; on one's mettle; manfully, like a man, with a high hand; with a strong hand etc. (exertion) 686.    at any rate, at any risk, at any hazard, at any price, at any cost, at any sacrifice; at all hazards, at all risks, at all events; a' bis ou a blanc [Fr.]; cost what it may; coute [Fr.]; a tort et a travers^†; once for all; neck or nothing; rain or shine.    ... show more

Roget 535: affirmatively etc. adj.; in the affirmative.    with emphasis, ex-cathedra, without fear of contradiction.    as God is my witness, I must say, indeed, i' faith, let me tell you, why, give me leave to say, marry, you may be sure, I'd have you to know; upon my word, upon my honor; by my troth, egad, I assure you; by jingo, by Jove, by George, &c.; troth, seriously, sadly; in sadness, in sober sadness, in truth, in earnest; of a truth, truly, perdy^†, in all conscience, upon oath; be assured etc. (belief) 484; yes etc. (assent) 488; I'll warrant, I'll warrant you, I'll engage, I'll answer for it, I'll be bound, I'll venture to say, I'll take my oath; in fact, forsooth, joking apart; so help me God; not to mince the matter.    ... show more

To a severe or serious degree:
— Was seriously ill.

synonyms: badly, gravely, severely.

Roget 31: truly etc. (truth) 494 [in a positive degree]; decidedly, unequivocally, purely, absolutely, seriously, essentially, fundamentally, radically, downright, in all conscience; for the most part, in the main.    [in a complete degree] entirely etc. (completely) 52; abundantly etc. (sufficiently) 639; widely, far and wide.    [in a great or high degree] greatly etc. adj.; much, muckle^†, well, indeed, very, very much, a deal, no end of, most, not a little; pretty, pretty well; enough, in a great measure, richly; to a large extent, to a great extent, to a gigantic extent; on a large scale; so; never so, ever so; ever so dole; scrap, shred, tag, splinter, rag, much; by wholesale; mighty, powerfully; with a witness, ultra [Lat.], in the extreme, extremely, exceedingly, intensely, exquisitely, acutely, indefinitely, immeasurably; beyond compare, beyond comparison, beyond measure, beyond all bounds; incalculably, infinitely.    [in a supreme degree] preeminently, superlatively etc. (superiority) 33.    [in a too great degree] immoderately, monstrously, preposterously, inordinately, exorbitantly, excessively, enormously, out of all proportion, with a vengeance.    [in a marked degree] particularly, remarkably, singularly, curiously, uncommonly, unusually, peculiarly, notably, signally, strikingly, pointedly, mainly, chiefly; famously, egregiously, prominently, glaringly, emphatically, kat exochin [Gr.], strangely, wonderfully, amazingly, surprisingly, astonishingly, incredibly, marvelously, awfully, stupendously.    [in an exceptional degree] peculiarly etc. (unconformity) 83.    [in a violent degree] furiously etc. (violence) 173; severely, desperately, tremendously, extravagantly, confoundedly, deucedly, devilishly, with a vengeance; a outrance^†, a toute outrance [Fr.].    [in a painful degree] painfully, sadly, grossly, sorely, bitterly, piteously, grievously, miserably, cruelly, woefully, lamentably, shockingly, frightfully, dreadfully, fearfully, terribly, horribly.    ... show more