diligently
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of diligently
Explanation
Doing something diligently means doing it thoroughly and well. It's the opposite of doing it lazily or shoddily. If you are tireless, persevering, and do things with great care, then you do things diligently. This is an adverb that goes with hard and careful work. If you have a test coming up, the more diligently you review your materials, the better your grade will be. Workers who do their job diligently tend to get promoted. Some dogs diligently pursue squirrels in the park. When someone uses this word about something you've done, it's a huge compliment.
Vocabulary lists containing diligently
This Week in Pop Culture: February 2 - 8, 2019
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
President Obama's Speech at the United Nations
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
For years, Mandy Woods diligently made payments toward her $65,000 in student debt, even though she considered the degrees she had earned to be “useless” and “very expensive” pieces of paper.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
During the expedition, the participants go about their tasks diligently.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
“Our team is dedicated to minimizing any adverse effects on voters, and we will work diligently to safeguard their ability to make their voices heard and ensure their votes are properly recorded,” Logan said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
The general effect is more of 10 diligently prepared classroom lectures than of a broadly conceived historical narrative.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Some teachers worked diligently and patiently with Boobie, aware of how hard it was for him to concentrate.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
