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rigorous

[ rig-er-uhs ]
/ ˈrɪg ər əs /
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See synonyms for: rigorous / rigorously / rigorousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
characterized by rigor; rigidly severe or harsh, as people, rules, or discipline: rigorous laws.
severely exact or accurate; precise: rigorous research.
(of weather or climate) uncomfortably severe or harsh; extremely inclement.
Logic, Mathematics. logically valid.
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Origin of rigorous

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin rigōrōsus; see rigor, -ous

synonym study for rigorous

1. See strict.

OTHER WORDS FROM rigorous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT RIGOROUS

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.

Where does rigorous come from?

The first records of the word rigorous come from the 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Latin rigēre, meaning “to be stiff.” The suffix -ous is used to form adjectives.

People and things described as rigorous are known for being inflexible when it comes to what is considered the exact right plan or course of action. For this reason, the word is associated with discipline, precision, accuracy, and high standards.

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What are some other forms related to rigorous?

  • rigorously (adverb)
  • rigorousness (noun)
  • rigor (noun)

What are some synonyms for rigorous?

What are some words that share a root or word element with rigorous

What are some words that often get used in discussing rigorous?

How is rigorous used in real life?

Rigorous is often used to describe things like experiments, testing, athletic training, and academic programs.

Try using rigorous!

Which of the following words is a synonym of rigorous?

A. rigid
B. exacting
C. precise
D. all of the above

How to use rigorous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rigorous

rigorous
/ (ˈrɪɡərəs) /

adjective
characterized by or proceeding from rigour; harsh, strict, or severerigorous discipline
severely accurate; scrupulousrigorous book-keeping
(esp of weather) extreme or harsh
maths logic (of a proof) making the validity of the successive steps completely explicit

Derived forms of rigorous

rigorously, adverbrigorousness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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