Gravitas
noun /ˈɡrævɪtæs/ — The weight of genuine authority and seriousness.
Definition
Dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner; the quality of being weighty and authoritative; a presence that commands respect.
Beyond the definition
Gravitas can't be performed — it's recognised. It comes from having thought seriously about serious things, from having been through enough to be unhurried. The person with gravitas doesn't need to announce themselves.
Origin & history
From Latin gravitas — weight, seriousness (gravis 'heavy, weighty'). The Romans considered gravitas one of the essential virtues of a Roman citizen and leader.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
He spoke rarely and briefly, but with a gravitas that made people write things down.
She had the gravitas of someone who'd made difficult decisions and lived with the results.
Gravitas without warmth becomes intimidating. With warmth, it becomes trustworthy.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Gravitas” when the meaning fits your context: Dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner; the quality of being weighty and authoritative; a presence that commands respect.
Synonyms
authority, dignity, seriousness, solemnity, weight
Antonyms
flippancy, levity, frivolity
Related words
Gravitas vs seriousness
Gravitas is a profound sense of authority, weight, and dignity. Seriousness is a general disposition of not joking or being playful, which may lack the inherent authority of gravitas.
Word in the Wild
Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.
He had none of the standard markers — no grey temples, no impressive title, no particular height. And yet when he walked into a room the temperature changed slightly.
Colleagues, trying to explain it, kept arriving at the same word: weight. He carried something that most people reach their whole careers for and some never manage: the quality of taking seriously what deserved seriousness, and of being seen to do so.
He had earned this, someone who had known him for twenty years said. Not in one moment. In how he had consistently behaved when no one was watching — when the decision didn't matter to anyone but himself.
Questions about this word
What does "Gravitas" mean?
Gravitas is noun meaning: The weight of genuine authority and seriousness.. Dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner; the quality of being weighty and authoritative; a presence that commands respect.
Which words express “someone whose presence fills a room”?
Gravitas — The weight of genuine authority and seriousness.
Where does the word "Gravitas" come from?
From Latin gravitas — weight, seriousness (gravis 'heavy, weighty'). The Romans considered gravitas one of the essential virtues of a Roman citizen and leader.