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

plural

diligences

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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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; -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

The financial strength of the conference is part of the reason some private-equity funds have been doing due diligence on the Big Ten, with hopes to invest in the conference itself.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Miller, whose 50-acre grassy horse farm sits just across the road from the Social Circle warehouse, said officials had not done due diligence on selected locations.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Given his reputation for rigorous due diligence and concentrated positioning, that level of exposure reinforces the growing case that financials may be poised to lead should market conditions begin to improve.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

“Candidates are raising money and doing their due diligence … but it’s felt like a staid, quiet race,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

I never saw a busier person than she seemed to be; yet it was difficult to say what she did: or rather, to discover any result of her diligence.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Related Words

• alertness
• earnestness
• intensity
• quickness
• vigor