diligence

noun

ˈdi-lə-jən(t)s How to pronounce diligence (audio)
Definition of diligencenext
as in effort
attentive and persistent effort through the diligence and ingenuity of a single detective, the gang's ringleader was finally caught

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of diligence Taaffe’s diligence, intelligence, understanding of the position (beyond his years) and detailed preparation have earned him the trust of coach Jeff Hafley. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026 Maintaining a lush, healthy lawn takes year-round diligence to keep soil healthy and weeds, pests, and diseases at bay. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026 In Barisone’s telling, staff and fellow-inmates were awed by his diligence. — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 Countless little things are still warm with her touch, absorbed by her diligence. — Phong Nguyen, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for diligence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diligence
  1. effort
  2. assiduity
  3. persistence
  4. industry
  5. industriousness
  6. attentiveness
  7. attention
Noun
  • The discovery is a huge victory for conservation efforts across the Indian Ocean.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In yet another battle between the states and social media platforms, Florida asked a state judge to order changes on Instagram and Facebook in an effort to protect young users.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of effort
Noun
  • While the Queen Mother was very fond of this Queen Victoria tiara and wore it with relative assiduity, her daughter only wore it once in public, on an official trip to Malta in November 2005.
    — Ana Serrano, Glamour, 7 Dec. 2025
  • These indestructible treasures have always been buried in matter, awaiting the invention of scanning electron microscopes and scientists with enough assiduity to spend decades on end peering into their atomic eyes.
    — Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2023
Definition of assiduity
Noun
  • That persistence is why deleting a suspicious app may not be enough once RatHat fully compromises a phone.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Any small engagement is enormously motivating and helpful for her persistence.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of persistence
Noun
  • Billions of dollars could be at stake, a potentially serious threat to the industry, according to court documents.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • That would give Temasek greater ability to adjust its investments as the industry evolves, compared with private assets that can be harder to exit quickly.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of industry
Noun
  • The Beehive State gets its nickname from the industriousness of its workers.
    — Scott Cohn, CNBC, 11 July 2026
  • The Big East will cast a wide net to find someone with a vision, and Ackerman-level resourcefulness and industriousness by next fall.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of industriousness
Noun
  • In terms of hospitality, expect a high level of attentiveness.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The Moores used a lot of attentiveness — and prayer — to protect their son.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of attentiveness
Noun
  • While the Cornell case has drawn significant attention and public support, survivors may respond differently.
    — Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Mesh, lace, metallic studs, crochet and tie-dye competed for attention, while fitted party dresses and washed denim leaned heavily on familiar notions of off-duty rock-chick dressing.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of attention

Browse Nearby Words

dilettantism
diligence
diligent
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diligence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diligence. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on diligence

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about diligence

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of galore

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All