Would you consider yourself an earnest person? Earnest means serious. In Oscar Wilde’s play ”The Importance of Being Earnest,” being earnest is a pun, or a play on words between the adjective, ”earnest” and the man’s name, ”Ernest.” Further, any reference to being earnest in this play is verbal irony, which is when what is said is intentionally opposite of what is meant as this play is anything but serious.