stringent

adjective

strin·​gent ˈstrin-jənt 

1

: tight, constricted

2

: marked by rigor, strictness, or severity especially with regard to rule or standard

stringent decontamination procedures

3

: marked by money scarcity and credit strictness

a stringent budget

stringently adverb

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How Should You Use stringent?

Words that are synonymous with stringent include rigid, which implies uncompromising inflexibility ("rigid rules of conduct"), and rigorous, which suggests hardship and difficulty ("the rigorous training of firefighters"). Also closely related is strict, which emphasizes undeviating conformity to rules, standards, or requirements ("strict enforcement of the law"). Stringent usually involves severe, tight restrictions or limitations ("the college has stringent admissions rules"). That's logical. After all, rigorous and rigid are both derived from rigēre, the Latin word meaning "to be stiff," and stringent and strict developed from the Latin verb stringere, meaning "to bind tight."

Synonyms

• strict
• rigorous

Choose the Right Synonym for stringent

rigid, rigorous, strict, stringent mean extremely severe or stern.

rigid implies uncompromising inflexibility.

rigid rules of conduct

rigorous implies the imposition of hardship and difficulty.

the rigorous training of recruits

strict emphasizes undeviating conformity to rules, standards, or requirements.

strict enforcement of the law

stringent suggests severe, tight restriction or limitation.

stringent standards of admission

Examples of stringent in a Sentence

stringent rules against unauthorized persons being in the building

Recent Examples on the Web

Because California’s regulations are some of the most stringent in the nation, the importance of identifying regulatory oversights or permitting loopholes extends far beyond the state. —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025

Critics fear that increased local control would result in more stringent development processes that further exacerbate the housing crisis. —Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2025

While specifics have not been provided for obvious reasons, producers, CBS execs, TV Academy leaders and law enforcement have been huddling the past 24 hours to cast a tighter, wider and more stringent net over the September 14th small screen gathering at the Peacock Theater. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2025

The result is a resilient, insight-ready infrastructure that supports faster investigations, leaner maintenance and more agile process improvement—without compromising the stringent regulatory environment that defines the industry. —Nagesh Nama, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin stringent-, stringens, present participle of stringere

First Known Use

1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stringent

• astringent
• contingent
• birefringent

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Kids Definition

stringent

adjective

strin·​gent ˈstrin-jənt 

1

: tying, drawing, or pressing tight

2

: strict in setting standards or following rules

stringent training

stringently adverb