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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective vigorous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of vigorous are energetic, lusty, nervous, and strenuous. While all these words 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

Where would energetic be a reasonable alternative to vigorous?

Although the words energetic and vigorous have much in common, energetic suggests a capacity for intense activity.

an energetic campaigner

In what contexts can lusty take the place of vigorous?

While the synonyms lusty and vigorous are close in meaning, lusty implies exuberant energy and capacity for enjoyment.

a lusty appetite for life

When is it sensible to use nervous instead of vigorous?

In some situations, the words nervous and vigorous are roughly equivalent. However, nervous suggests especially the forcibleness and sustained effectiveness resulting from mental vigor.

full of nervous energy

When can strenuous be used instead of vigorous?

The synonyms strenuous and vigorous are sometimes interchangeable, but strenuous suggests a preference for coping with the arduous or the challenging.

the strenuous life on an oil rig

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 vigorous Each took in more than $20 million over the April 25 to 27 corridor, bringing the year’s domestic box-office tally up a vigorous 117 percent over the same period in 2024. Chris Lee, Vulture, 22 May 2025 The ties inside effectively kept the comforter in place during use, though one button did come undone after a vigorous shake. Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 22 May 2025 Even Israel’s allies — who offered vigorous support after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attacks started the war — have voiced frustration and even anger over the conflict and its cost to ordinary Palestinians. Iyad Abuheweila, New York Times, 21 May 2025 That piece, and the book that would follow, has become a staple of environmental humanities classes for decades and still stirs vigorous classroom debate today. Daegan Miller june 5, Literary Hub, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for vigorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigorous
Adjective
  • Astronomers analyzing data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have uncovered a population of tiny, energetic galaxies that may have been key players in clearing the cosmic fog that shrouded the universe after the Big Bang.
    Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 19 June 2025
  • They are characterized by energetic mark-making, a profound understanding of color, and complex, absorbing compositions.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • The tune, a collaboration with Bruno Mars — whose presence surely helped the cut not only become a high-rising win but also a sturdy one — has now spent 34 weeks on the competitive tally.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
  • For your safety, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • But the company’s aggressive marketing triggered backlash.
    Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
  • Cross-examination of the victims’ two surviving roommates will likely be aggressive, especially of Dylan Mortensen.
    Jean Casarez, CNN Money, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.
    National Geographic, National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023
  • According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.
    Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
  • The Desktop Specialist is a fast entry point; the Data Analyst certification builds on it with more robust tools for visual analytics.
    Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • The original film was very light in the production sound (i.e., foley effects); this is pretty robust.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • Even grimmer than this, there's no guarantee that the laws of physics are the same in a baby universe as their parent universe, meaning an unpredictable fate and potentially a messy death for a hardy multinaut able to brave a black hole doorway.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 June 2025
  • White Zinnias These hardy flowers from Mexico have had my heart for years; their bold colors simply scream summer.
    Josh Miller, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • The San Francisco Giants answered any remaining questions about their hopes of contending this season with an emphatic move to bring in slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox.
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
  • Sure, the No. 3 pick of the 2018 draft revived his formerly flailing career in an emphatic way last season, injecting himself into the MVP conversation while leading the Minnesota Vikings to the brink of the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed.
    Michael Silver, New York Times, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • The usually heady, efficient team struggled to make shots, take care of the ball and string together solid defensive possessions.
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 28 June 2025
  • But for a reporter without solid immigration status the outcome can be deportation.
    Graciela Mochkofsky, New Yorker, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vigorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigorous. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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