vigorous

adjective

vig·​or·​ous ˈvi-g(ə-)rəs How to pronounce vigorous (audio)
1
: done with vigor : carried out forcefully and energetically
vigorous exercises
2
: possessing vigor : full of physical or mental strength or active force : strong
a vigorous youth
a vigorous plant
vigorousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for vigorous

vigorous, energetic, strenuous, lusty, nervous mean having or showing great vitality and force.

vigorous further implies showing no signs of depletion or diminishing of freshness or robustness.

as vigorous as a youth half his age

energetic suggests a capacity for intense activity.

an energetic campaigner

strenuous suggests a preference for coping with the arduous or the challenging.

the strenuous life on an oil rig

lusty implies exuberant energy and capacity for enjoyment.

a lusty appetite for life

nervous suggests especially the forcibleness and sustained effectiveness resulting from mental vigor.

full of nervous energy

Examples of vigorous in a Sentence

She remained vigorous into her nineties. His speech was met with vigorous applause. She gave a vigorous defense of her beliefs.
Recent Examples on the Web There were doomy, crashing chords, relentless drumming, a pounding keyboard, and some vigorous tambourine. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2024 Star jasmine can tolerate shade, grow as a vigorous ground cover, blanket walls, or be clipped into a hedge. Marissa Wu, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2024 The surge in spending shows how interconnected China and the United States remain, despite vigorous efforts by each country to be more self-reliant. Mike Isaac, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Even before the latest war between Israel and Hamas, Palestinian solidarity had become one of the most vigorous political movements on American college campuses. Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 However, within minutes of release, the shark exhibited vigorous movements, including bursts of tailbeats, leading to the retraction of the stomach back to its normal position. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Du Bois, older and artistically more conservative, advocated vigorous protest to achieve equality, but believed artists needed to represent an uncompromising image of social uplift. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Americans should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity. Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 29 Feb. 2024 Even at a young age, Austin Butler knew he was destined for vigorous accent work. Shania Russell, EW.com, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vigorous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vigorous, vigrous, from Anglo-French, from vigour

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of vigorous was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near vigorous

Cite this Entry

“Vigorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vigorous. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

vigorous

adjective
vig·​or·​ous ˈvig-(ə-)rəs How to pronounce vigorous (audio)
1
: having vigor : robust
vigorous youth
a vigorous plant
2
: done with force and energy
a vigorous protest
vigorously adverb
vigorousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on vigorous

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