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Synonyms

mean business

Idioms  

  1. Be in earnest. For example, He really means business with this deadline. This idiom uses business in the sense of “a serious endeavor.” [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Drones and anti-drones mean business for a host of defense startups and established players.

From Barron's

Drones and anti-drones mean business for a host of defense startups and established players.

From Barron's

Emphasize that you mean business.

From Literature

"Red is a real confident 'I mean business' colour," says Thomson.

From BBC

I'm at my local 5km community parkrun event on a Saturday morning and I mean business.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.