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 Reporting on sensitive topics requires a lot of diligence and care. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 26 June 2026 But Bericoto won admirers within the coaching staff and clubhouse for his diligence and demeanor in spring training. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 25 June 2026 Success requires diligence, especially after travel. — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 June 2026 Describing the negotiation path, Keith emphasized the diligence of the YMCA’s leadership. — Charlotte Observer, 19 June 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 totality of Clark’s effort made White react more like a fan than a coach.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Smaller nonprofit efforts — often faith-based — can also offer a soft landing place, but few exist.
    — Amber Gaudet July 18, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 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
  • Analysts said the persistence of such underlying weakness also raises the question of whether Chinese officials will turn to more fiscal stimulus to try and boost domestic spending.
    — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • This book shows the importance of persistence when refining a skill and remaining true to oneself.
    — Brooke Harris Garad, The Conversation, 14 July 2026
Definition of persistence
Noun
  • But the incredible expense of maintaining these habitats — and a series of horrible accidents resulting in a few deaths — led to a pullback in federal funding for the undersea habitat industry.
    — Alex Harris July 15, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
  • To celebrate 25 years of her career in the music industry, and debut album The Spirit Room, the singer-songwriter has announced Everywhere and Back Again, an EP of some of her biggest hits that have been reimagined by other artists.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 15 July 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
  • That attentiveness showed up in small ways throughout our stay.
    — Alisha Prakash, Travel + Leisure, 27 June 2026
  • In the past 15 years, and especially in the last five, our city has seen an influx of pizza restaurants and chefs who’ve brought a diversity of styles and an attentiveness to elevated ingredients and approaches.
    — Peter St. Onge Updated June 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026
Definition of attentiveness
Noun
  • So how much attention do the two broadcasters really pay to one another?
    — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Flair then turned her attention to Cargill and hit a big boot, forcing the disqualification.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 18 July 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 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on diligence

Nglish: Translation of diligence for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about diligence

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All