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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

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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 For trusted journalists, diligence meant spending more time with the community. — Danielle K. Brown, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026 How Build Reroutes the Development Model Rather than trying to turn every data center into a bespoke architectural museum, Build functions as an AI-native operating partner designed to automate the heavy desktop diligence that stalls projects. — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 A little diligence now can be the difference between a debt that quietly expires and one that follows you for years longer than the law actually allows. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 For all its characteristic restraint and formal diligence, Killing Spree is a book that wants to make noise, to cut through the dead air with cries of grief and rage, undoing our own savage torpor. — Literary Hub, 6 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
  • Russian drones targeted roadside gas stations in Kyiv for a second straight day Friday, as Moscow broadened its air war in what Ukrainian officials say is an effort to rattle civilians.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Revenue surges Founded in 2018, Enflame is building AI processors as China looks to boost its efforts in model building amid major capability gains from domestic developers.
    — Kai Nicol-Schwarz,Jenny Lee,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 11 Sep. 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
  • According to the trade counsel, the recent tit-for-tat trade actions undertaken by both Washington and Ottowa have served to illuminate the persistence of a trend that stands to continue over the coming months.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Maines’ technical skill along with his persistence and curiosity helped produce journalism with far-reaching consequences.
    — Sally Kestin, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of persistence
Noun
  • In 2024, the crypto industry spent more than $130 million in congressional races, including $40 million in Ohio and $10 million each in Arizona and Michigan.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
  • However, the pressures facing the car industry could be a sign of things to come for the heavy-vehicle sector.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 16 Sep. 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
  • Sirianni sees Smith’s attentiveness in team meetings, his extra work in the weight room on his own time, and his extra work before and after practices.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Tornare remarked on Koons’ attentiveness and deep involvement, from overall concepts to the smallest design cues.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of attentiveness
Noun
  • Your attention to detail isn’t excessive when the numbers affect your security.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026
  • The later exposure windows produced more noticeable effects on sleep and next-day performance, including measures of attention, movement and dart-throwing accuracy.
    — Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of attention

Browse Nearby Words

dilettantism
diligence
diligent
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Cite this Entry

“Diligence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diligence. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on diligence

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about diligence

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