The committee addressed the budget deficit with utmost seriousness, recognizing that delayed action would worsen the crisis.
委员会以极其严肃的态度处理预算赤字，认识到拖延行动会加剧危机。
Which choice best defines “seriousness”?
B — The quality of being serious. “seriousness” means the quality of being serious.
Which word means “the quality of being serious”?
A — seriousness. “seriousness” means the quality of being serious.
seriousness — the quality of being serious. In Chinese: 严肃，认真.
seriousness is pronounced /ˈsɪəriəsnəs/.
The committee addressed the budget deficit with utmost seriousness, recognizing that delayed action would worsen the crisis. (委员会以极其严肃的态度处理预算赤字，认识到拖延行动会加剧危机。)
gravity, solemnity, earnestness — all close in meaning to seriousness (the quality of being serious).
frivolity, levity — each the opposite of seriousness (the quality of being serious).
Yes. seriousness is on the SAT Prep Basic list — the everyday academic words the SAT assumes you already have. The Digital SAT does not test vocabulary in isolation; words like this one are tested through Words in Context questions, where you choose the word that completes a passage most logically and precisely.