industrious

adjective

in·​dus·​tri·​ous in-ˈdə-strē-əs How to pronounce industrious (audio)
1
: constantly, regularly, or habitually active or occupied : diligent
an industrious worker
2
obsolete : skillful, ingenious
industriously adverb
industriousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for industrious

busy, industrious, diligent, assiduous, sedulous mean actively engaged or occupied.

busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure.

too busy to spend time with the children

industrious implies characteristic or habitual devotion to work.

industrious employees

diligent suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit.

very diligent in her pursuit of a degree

assiduous stresses careful and unremitting application.

assiduous practice

sedulous implies painstaking and persevering application.

a sedulous investigation of the murder

Examples of industrious in a Sentence

He is an industrious worker. an industrious worker who never seems to sleep
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
So when any sliver of private land or an already existing home hits the market, there’s usually a long line of well-to-do professionals and would-be Airbnb investors from coastal cities ready to drive the price out of reach for even the most industrious working people. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024 Give cross-city hiking a try on any of these urban trails that range from industrious day hikes to thru-hiking adventures. Miles Howard, Outside Online, 17 Oct. 2024 These loans enable industrious individuals to achieve independence rather than foster long-term dependency on aid. Bree Carriglio, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024 An industrious tackler who played with pace and power, Anderson was one of the standout full-backs of his generation. George Ramsay, CNN, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for industrious 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of industrious was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near industrious

Cite this Entry

“Industrious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/industrious. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

industrious

adjective
in·​dus·​tri·​ous in-ˈdəs-trē-əs How to pronounce industrious (audio)
: constantly or regularly active or occupied
an industrious farmer
industriously adverb
industriousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on industrious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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