diligent
Americanadjective
-
constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything.
a diligent student.
- Synonyms:
- sedulous, assiduous, industrious
-
done or pursued with persevering attention; painstaking.
a diligent search of the files.
- Synonyms:
- unremitting, tireless, indefatigable
adjective
-
careful and persevering in carrying out tasks or duties
-
carried out with care and perseverance
diligent work
Synonym Usage
See busy.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of diligent
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French or directly from Latin dīligent- (stem of dīligēns ), present participle of dīligere “to choose, like,” equivalent to dī- di- 2 + -ligere (combining form of legere “to choose, read”); see -ent
Compare meaning
How does diligent compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Someone who is diligent works hard and carefully. If you want to write the epic history of your family, you'll have to be very diligent in tracking down and interviewing all of your relatives. Diligent comes from the Latin diligere, which means "to value highly, take delight in," but in English it has always meant careful and hard-working. If you're a diligent worker, you don't just bang away at your job; you earnestly try to do everything right. Although being lucky and talented doesn't hurt, it's the diligent person who eventually succeeds.
Vocabulary lists containing diligent
100 Top "SAT" Words
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Grade 9, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Last year, Serve bought Vayu Robotics, which provides models for physical AI; Phantom Auto for solving connectivity issues; Diligent Robotics, a medical robotics business; and Vebu, which makes kitchen automation technology.
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
Diligent insect medics, with brains barely as big as the punctuation in size-8 font, were spotted carefully assessing the injuries of nestmates with a few gentle licks before operating with razor-sharp jaws.
From Slate • Jul. 18, 2024
The book "Chongzhen: The Diligent Emperor of a Fallen Dynasty" was recalled on Oct.
From Reuters • Oct. 23, 2023
Diligent nitpicking from trade publications aside, 18-year-old Rodrigo’s first foray into the big leagues of music has been hailed as “nimble,” “remarkably potent,” “surprisingly strong” and downright “flawless.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2021
Diligent mice tended the neat little vegetable patches which every season gave forth an abundance of fresh produce: cabbages, sprouts, marrows, turnips, peas, carrots, tomatoes, lettuces and onions, all in their turn.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
