Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

rigorous

American  
[rig-er-uhs] / ˈrɪg ər əs /

adjective

  1. characterized by rigor; rigidly severe or harsh, as people, rules, or discipline.

    rigorous laws.

    Synonyms:
    unyielding, stiff, inflexible, hard, austere, stern
    Antonyms:
    soft, flexible
  2. severely exact or accurate; precise.

    rigorous research.

    Synonyms:
    finical, demanding
    Antonyms:
    inaccurate
  3. (of weather or climate) uncomfortably severe or harsh; extremely inclement.

    Synonyms:
    bitter, hard
    Antonyms:
    mild
  4. Logic, Mathematics. logically valid.


rigorous British  
/ ˈrɪɡərəs /

adjective

  1. characterized by or proceeding from rigour; harsh, strict, or severe

    rigorous discipline

  2. severely accurate; scrupulous

    rigorous book-keeping

  3. (esp of weather) extreme or harsh

  4. maths logic (of a proof) making the validity of the successive steps completely explicit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does rigorous mean? Rigorous is used to describe things characterized by rigor—strict discipline or severe exactness and precision.Describing an experiment or study as rigorous means it was conducted with extreme precision in order to achieve accuracy.Describing an athletic or academic program as rigorous means it is designed to be challenging and focused on strict discipline.If a teacher is known for being rigorous, it means that they are very strict about things like students completing all of their work and following the rules exactly.Example: The are the result of months of rigorous testing.

Related Words

See strict.

Other Word Forms

  • overrigorous adjective
  • overrigorousness noun
  • rigorously adverb
  • rigorousness noun
  • self-rigorous adjective
  • semirigorous adjective
  • semirigorousness noun
  • unrigorous adjective
  • unrigorousness noun

Etymology

Origin of rigorous

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin rigōrōsus; rigor, -ous

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.

My wife and I ultimately chose a Modern Orthodox Jewish school with rigorous academics, serious Jewish education, and a community of families who shared our values.

From The Wall Street Journal

Self-driving vehicles would undergo "rigorous" tests to prove they are at least as safe, competent and careful as human drivers, before being allowed on UK roads, the government said.

From Barron's

Consider this a guide for those days, from someone who has lived enough of them — and loves food enough to have developed a surprisingly rigorous philosophy about what, exactly, to do when desire disappears.

From Salon

The exhibition’s ambition to document the breadth of indigenous Australian art since the late 19th century is admirable, but a more rigorous, less inclusive selection would have been welcome.

From The Wall Street Journal

Around 30 or 35 of those are selected for rigorous physical and mental tests, and in the end, only five or six are asked to join the patrol.

From Barron's