vigorous
Americanadjective
-
full of or characterized by vigor.
a vigorous effort.
- Antonyms:
- weak
-
a vigorous youngster.
- Antonyms:
- weak
-
energetic; forceful: a vigorous personality.
vigorous steps;
a vigorous personality.
- Synonyms:
- powerful
- Antonyms:
- weak
-
powerful in action or effect.
vigorous law enforcement.
- Antonyms:
- weak
-
growing well, as a plant.
- Antonyms:
- weak
adjective
-
endowed with bodily or mental strength or vitality; robust
-
displaying, involving, characterized by, or performed with vigour
vigorous growth
Related Words
See active.
Other Word Forms
- overvigorous adjective
- overvigorousness noun
- supervigorous adjective
- supervigorousness noun
- unvigorous adjective
- unvigorousness noun
- vigorously adverb
- vigorousness noun
Etymology
Origin of vigorous
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin vigorōsus; vigor, -ous
Explanation
Anything vigorous is done with force and energy. Vigorous exercise makes you sweat, and a vigorous denial makes someone else sweat. Vigorous is a description for something strong or enthusiastic. It comes from the French word vigour, meaning "liveliness, activity." An active, physically energetic person is vigorous, and mental activities can be vigorous too, when they require a lot of mental effort. A vigorous argument doesn’t have to include physical wrestling; it just might involve verbal sparring.
Vocabulary lists containing vigorous
Tuck Everlasting
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Bridge to Terabithia
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The Witch of Blackbird Pond
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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.
These benefits were observed even when the total time spent on vigorous activity was relatively small.
From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026
“We are now in the process of gathering all the facts and look forward to presenting a vigorous defense on behalf of Mr. Keenan.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
The economy can still grow at a vigorous pace even if it’s not adding net jobs, analysts say, so long as businesses retain most employees and layoffs stay low.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026
The plan sparked vigorous debate internally over the potential risks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026
He repeatedly told the public he was demanding a full and vigorous investigation of the Watergate break-in.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
