1
as in hardship
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal
hard-bitten folk who survived many rigors on the way to the promised land
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in severity
the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)
after being coddled by his former coach, the swimmer was shocked by the rigor of the new training program
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in accuracy
the quality or state of being very accurate
said that she had heard that excuse a million times, but then she was never known for the rigor of her calculations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rigor
Edgecliffe-Johnson’s decades covering global business provide the editorial rigor and institutional context to surface the context and the stakes behind each leadership story.
—
Rachel Keidan, semafor.com, 20 Mar. 2026
One flirts and drinks and dallies and dances; the other is part child, part monk, his mantel packed with icons and crucifixes, his inner landscape a kind of mental Sagrada Família — a weird and extraordinary edifice constructed around the rigors and promises of Christianity.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
But the National Association of Scholars says the Common Core has injected too much confusion into math education and lacks rigor.
—Steven Yoder, States Newsroom, 20 Mar. 2026
Generations of Huskies alumni still bemoan the rigors Auriemma put them through in college and complain that the famously tough head coach has gone soft with age.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rigor
Rachel Keidan, semafor.com, 20 Mar. 2026
One flirts and drinks and dallies and dances; the other is part child, part monk, his mantel packed with icons and crucifixes, his inner landscape a kind of mental Sagrada Família — a weird and extraordinary edifice constructed around the rigors and promises of Christianity.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
But the National Association of Scholars says the Common Core has injected too much confusion into math education and lacks rigor.
—Steven Yoder, States Newsroom, 20 Mar. 2026
Generations of Huskies alumni still bemoan the rigors Auriemma put them through in college and complain that the famously tough head coach has gone soft with age.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rigor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rigor
Noun
-
Some lenders also offer hardship programs that temporarily reduce or pause payments for borrowers who qualify.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The storms, the flooding, the constant rain across O'ahu have affected so many of our people, especially those already facing hardship.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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However, the show downplays the severity of the incident and most crucially the fact that a child was present and injured in the melee.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
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The record high levels of greenhouse gases in the air are also why so many extreme events, from heat waves to floods, are now occurring with greater regularity and severity.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Sacramento Regional Transit weekday bus schedules will shift next month as part of an effort to improve timing and arrival accuracy for travelers going to Elk Grove, UC Davis, Roseville and other destinations.—
Madison Smalstig,
Sacbee.com,
24 Mar. 2026
-
In this category, accuracy is sacred and the rules, once established, are unbreakable.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The challenge of weather-app creation lies both in the improbability of accurately predicting the weather and in the difficulty of designing something that works for any user, anywhere.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
-
House conservatives came out against the deal before it was even announced, signaling the difficulty Republican leadership in both chambers could face to end the monthlong DHS shutdown.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Israel’s 1973 Yom Kippur War, for instance, produced the Second Offset insights about deploying precision munitions.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
-
These encounters reveal with striking precision that Chicago’s disparities were not accidental.—
Tonika Lewis Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These crops reward consistency, not perfection — a little daily attention goes a long way.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
23 Mar. 2026
-
From the East, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong pursue perfection.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rigor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rigor. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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