rigor

noun

rig·​or ˈri-gər 

1

a(1)

: harsh inflexibility in opinion, temper, or judgment : severity

The least one might observe is that this muddle of moralism and laxity, extreme rigor and casual permissiveness, arduous altruism and nonchalant selfishness, has consequences.

—Peter Berkowitz

(2)

: the quality of being unyielding or inflexible : strictness

Their abandonment of this terminology is part of an effort to soften the rigor of some of the rigid consequences thought to flow from the mechanical application of this dichotomy.

—John D. Calamari and Joseph M. Perillo

(3)

: severity of life : austerity

… a moral rigor and growth that might help this country.

—Stanley Kauffmann

b

: an act or instance of strictness, severity, or cruelty

… the humanist must recognize the normality, the practical necessity of the very rigors he is trying to soften and correct.

—Hermann J. Muller

2

: a tremor caused by a chill

This young woman presented at the hospital with severe abdominal pain and signs of infection, including fever, rigor, and leukocytosis.

—Robert E. Scully et al.

3

: a condition that makes life difficult, challenging, or uncomfortable

especially : extremity of cold

the rigors of a New England winter

4

: strict precision : exactness

logical rigor

Tentatively one might suggest that what characterizes science is the rigor of its methodology …

—Ernst Mayr

5

a

obsolete : rigidity, stiffness

b

: rigidness or torpor of organs or tissue that prevents response to stimuli

c

: rigor mortis

A fish has its best flavor and texture when cooked while just coming out of rigor.

—Jane Daniels Lear

Synonyms

• hardship
• difficulty

Examples of rigor in a Sentence

They underwent the rigors of military training.

the rigors of life in the wilderness

They conducted the experiments with scientific rigor.

a scholar known for her intellectual rigor

Recent Examples on the Web

But then, too, there was the imaginative rigor of the posthumous realms Dante conjured from those lines, which had, over the centuries, attracted mathematical minds possessed of vastly more sophistication than my own. —Literary Hub, 16 June 2025

But that ascension was supposed to be a patient process to allow Van Lith — who played two-guard for most of her collegiate career — ample time to adjust to the rigors of running the point in the WNBA. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025

But as fatigue sets in throughout a game or a series—particularly given the unique rigors of today’s NBA—depth will be more critical than ever before. —Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025

Messi is fully removed from the rigors of European football, but anyone who hasn’t seen Miami play will realize during the Club World Cup that Messi has taken on a massive challenge — one that could ultimately blow up in his face against much better opposition. —Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 14 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English rigour, from Anglo-French, from Latin rigor, literally, stiffness, from rigēre to be stiff

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing rigor

• rigor mortis

Rhymes for rigor

• bigger
• digger
• jigger
• rigger
• trigger
• vigor
• gravedigger
• obligor
• outrigger

Kids Definition

rigor

noun

rig·​or ˈrig-ər 

1

a

: the quality of not being flexible or yielding

b

: an act or instance of being strict or harsh

2

: a shuddering caused by a chill

3

: a condition that makes life difficult or uncomfortable

especially : extreme cold

4

: strict precision : exactness

logical rigor

Medical Definition

rigor

noun

rig·​or

ˈrig-ər, British also ˈrī-ˌgȯr

1

a

: chill sense 1

b

: a tremor caused by a chill

2

a

: rigidity or torpor of organs or tissue that prevents response to stimuli

b

: rigor mortis