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
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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.
“We feel a strong sense of responsibility that comes with our unique position in global trade and will work diligently to build a trustworthy platform that consumers can rely on over the long run.”
From MarketWatch ● 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
The quarterback has worked diligently to change his shotgun stance, now putting his left foot in front of his right, and has sped up his decision making to get the ball to playmakers in space.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Veerle Bergink, a professor of psychiatry and the director of the Mount Sinai Women's Mental Health Center, is among the people working diligently to get postpartum psychosis included in the DSM-5.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
As with most hotels in the city, the staff worked diligently to maintain its star rating in guidebooks and on travel websites.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
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.
