rigorous
Americanadjective
-
characterized by rigor; rigidly severe or harsh, as people, rules, or discipline.
rigorous laws.
- Synonyms:
- unyielding, stiff, inflexible, hard, austere, stern
-
severely exact or accurate; precise.
rigorous research.
- Antonyms:
- inaccurate
-
(of weather or climate) uncomfortably severe or harsh; extremely inclement.
- Antonyms:
- mild
-
Logic, Mathematics. logically valid.
adjective
-
characterized by or proceeding from rigour; harsh, strict, or severe
rigorous discipline
-
severely accurate; scrupulous
rigorous book-keeping
-
(esp of weather) extreme or harsh
-
maths logic (of a proof) making the validity of the successive steps completely explicit
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.
Synonym Usage
See strict.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rigorous
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin rigōrōsus; see rigor, -ous
Explanation
If you are rigorous when you do something, you do it extremely carefully and precisely. A rigorous inspection of your tax records has revealed the government owes you money. Congratulations! The Latin root for rigorous is rigor, meaning “stiffness.” This might remind you of rigor mortis, the stiffening of a body after death, as often seen on cop shows. This is a good, if creepy, way of remembering the meaning of rigorous: rigorous people are stiff and unbending about the standards of their work. This requires being alive, of course.
Vocabulary lists containing rigorous
List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Giver
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: September 25 - October 1, 2017
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The new guidance for judges, the BBC understands, will allow family courts to be "rigorous in refusing to deal with cases that do not meet the criteria of urgency".
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Mr. Van Dyk, an American, adopts a matter-of-fact, undemonstrative style characteristic of rigorous Northern European dramas that trust the audience to draw its own conclusions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
She was reclassified only after requesting help during a school board meeting when she was in eighth grade — a change that immediately opened up more rigorous classes, including honors English.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026
An actor's voice "is the result of years of rigorous training and apprenticeship" to hone talent, Yuko Sasaki, executive director of the Japan Actors Union, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
I didn’t complain about any of these bonus activities, though, because they were a rewarding and uplifting way to balance out the rigorous training I continued to do.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
