stringent

adjective

strin·​gent ˈstrin-jənt 

1

: tight, constricted

2

: marked by rigor, strictness, or severity especially with regard to rule or standard

stringent decontamination procedures

3

: marked by money scarcity and credit strictness

a stringent budget

stringently adverb

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How Should You Use stringent?

Words that are synonymous with stringent include rigid, which implies uncompromising inflexibility ("rigid rules of conduct"), and rigorous, which suggests hardship and difficulty ("the rigorous training of firefighters"). Also closely related is strict, which emphasizes undeviating conformity to rules, standards, or requirements ("strict enforcement of the law"). Stringent usually involves severe, tight restrictions or limitations ("the college has stringent admissions rules"). That's logical. After all, rigorous and rigid are both derived from rigēre, the Latin word meaning "to be stiff," and stringent and strict developed from the Latin verb stringere, meaning "to bind tight."

Synonyms of stringent

• strict
• rigorous

Choose the Right Synonym for stringent

rigid, rigorous, strict, stringent mean extremely severe or stern.

rigid implies uncompromising inflexibility.

rigid rules of conduct

rigorous implies the imposition of hardship and difficulty.

the rigorous training of recruits

strict emphasizes undeviating conformity to rules, standards, or requirements.

strict enforcement of the law

stringent suggests severe, tight restriction or limitation.

stringent standards of admission

Examples of stringent in a Sentence

stringent rules against unauthorized persons being in the building

Recent Examples on the Web

Adopting more stringent standards to grant them would provide a concrete approach to reverse current trends. — Sheldon H. Jacobson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

Historically, the types of firearms covered by the court's order are not commonly recovered at crime scenes because of the stringent regulations that govern them. — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

But as the parameters of a show are changing and the cadence becomes less stringent, brands who once stayed shy of the show are now dabbling in the format. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2026

The 2025 Toyota bZ was also an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick+ award winner, but the 2026 version fell short of the organization's most stringent recent round of testing. — Keith Laing, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin stringent-, stringens, present participle of stringere

First Known Use

1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stringent

• astringent
• contingent
• birefringent

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Kids Definition

stringent

adjective

strin·​gent ˈstrin-jənt 

1

: tying, drawing, or pressing tight

2

: strict in setting standards or following rules

stringent training

stringently adverb