diligence

¹ American  

[dil-i-juhns] / ˈdɪl ɪ dʒəns /

noun

1. constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.

2. Law. the degree of care and caution required by the circumstances of a person.

3. Obsolete. care; caution.

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diligence ² American  

[dil-i-juhns, dee-lee-zhahns] / ˈdɪl ɪ dʒəns, di liˈʒɑ̃s /

noun

• diligences
  plural

1. a public stagecoach, especially as formerly used in France.

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diligence ¹ British  

/ ˈdɪlɪdʒəns /

noun

1. steady and careful application

2. proper attention or care

3. law the degree of care required in a given situation

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diligence ² British  

/ diliʒɑ̃s, ˈdɪlɪdʒəns /

noun

1. history a stagecoach

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• diligences
  plural

Etymology

Origin of diligence¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English deligence, from Anglo-French, from Latin dīligentia, equivalent to dīligent- (stem of dīligēns ) diligent ( def. ) + -ia; see -ence ( def. )

Origin of diligence²

First recorded in 1735–45; short for French carosse de diligence “speed coach”

Explanation

If you practice diligence, you are a hard and careful worker. Do you have the diligence to read all the collected works of Henry James? Of course not. Nobody has, but a couple of his early novels won't hurt. Here's a tip: never buy anything big, like a house or a car or a boat, without first exercising what lawyers call "due diligence" — that is, a real degree of care and attention and effort, not to mention a close reading of the small print. Diligence may help you realize the Brooklyn Bridge is not actually yours to buy, or that your potential neighbor has 112 cats living next door.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

diligence diligences

A person familiar with Tahnoon’s investment previously told the Journal that the investment in World Liberty wasn’t discussed with Trump during due diligence or afterward, and that Tahnoon is a “significant investor” in crypto businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

World Horse Welfare said unlike other animals such as dogs, there are no regulatory or voluntary industry standards for horse trading, so it is "vital" that sellers and prospective buyers do their due diligence.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

More likely, it would persuade big business to pursue due diligence instead of profits over people and the environment.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026

Kanin’s attorneys argue the disbursement delay was caused by incomplete records and due diligence concerns — worries further snarled by the so-called slayer statute barring Californians from inheriting from people they have killed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

Under the guidance of my new preceptors I entered with the greatest diligence into the search of the philosopher’s stone and the elixir of life; but the latter soon obtained my undivided attention.

From "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

One of the due diligences will include on the safety culture in Newcrest mines, the company said.

From Reuters ● Apr. 27, 2023

Leathern aprons of ancient diligences split and seamed with alternate rain and drought.

From The White Plumes of Navarre A Romance of the Wars of Religion by S. R. (Samuel Rutherford) Crockett

And in the station yard the diligences for Artá, for Capdepera, for San Lorenzo, were drawn up prepared to start as soon as the train had arrived and their passengers had climbed into their seats.

From The Fortunate Isles Life and Travel in Majorca, Minorca and Iviza by Mary Stuart Boyd

The roar of torrents, and hardly less thunderous noise of departing diligences, awakened us the next morning.

From An American Girl Abroad by Adeline Trafton

It was small comfort to see the cuttings and fillings-in for the railway which is destined soon to destroy those beastly diligences, and place Rome within two or three hours of its seaport.

From My Unknown Chum by Charles Bullard Fairbanks

Related Words

• alertness
• earnestness
• intensity
• quickness
• vigor