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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 The justices still have a handful of cases remaining before breaking for their summer recess, many of which will indeed be contentious and include vigorous dissents. Editorial, Boston Herald, 14 June 2025 That means doing your best to get in at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous exercise, along with two days of strength training, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Korin Miller, Flow Space, 16 June 2025 But that narrative hasn't stuck to Trump, who is known to ramble in public speeches but comes off as more vigorous to the public than Biden did. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 15 June 2025 These Asian species spread very easily to natural areas, where their vigorous growth smothers native plants. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for vigorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigorous
Adjective
  • Both Explorer’s Lounge and the Pinnacle Bar are on the quieter side, while Rolling Stone Lounge and Billboard Onboard have live music and a more energetic vibe, particularly later in the evening.
    Susan B. Barnes, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2025
  • That coherence is a physical, energetic property in one’s mind-body system.
    Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • The Gritti’s dock-manager to Grazer’s left, foreground right in the shot, may be suspicious that his sturdy right elbow, offered for support during that parlous little leap from land to sea, is being roundly ignored.
    Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Persons in campgrounds should consider seeking sturdy shelter until this storm passes.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • Cross-examination of the victims’ two surviving roommates will likely be aggressive, especially of Dylan Mortensen.
    Jean Casarez, CNN Money, 28 June 2025
  • But the company’s aggressive marketing triggered backlash.
    Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 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
  • The Waterfront has had a solid run since its debut, starting at #1 and continuing until this dethroning that was always going to happen.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 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 6 Jul. 2025.

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