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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President Obama's Speech at the United Nations
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
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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.
On that occasion, Sophie Devine and Maddy Green diligently weathered the storm before they took the game to England's bowlers in a fifth-wicket stand of 159 which laid the platform for a 14-run victory.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
Koslow said Trump has surrounded himself with strong executive talent, worked diligently to increase the oversight of government programs and taken foreign policy action to advance national security.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
They work diligently as sparks fly from metal heated to 1,200C.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
You are diligently planning your distributions, as you have mastered the accumulation phase.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026
She had thought she was saving Roger, and all the time she’d been diligently working to betray him....
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
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.
