diligent

adjective

dil·​i·​gent ˈdi-lə-jənt 

: characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort : painstaking

a diligent worker

diligently adverb

Did you know?

You’re more likely to be diligent about something if you love doing it. The etymology of diligent reflects the fact that devotion can lead to energetic effort. The word, which entered English in the 14th century by way of Anglo-French, comes from the Latin verb diligere, meaning “to value or esteem highly” or “to love.” Diligere was formed by combining the di- prefix (from dis-, meaning “apart”) with the verb legere, meaning “to gather, select” or “to read.” Legere has itself proved to be a diligent contributor to English; its offspring include collect, lecture, legend, intelligent, and legume.

Synonyms

• active
• assiduous
• bustling
• busy
• employed
• engaged
• hopping
• industrious
• laborious
• occupied
• sedulous
• tied-up
• working

Choose the Right Synonym for diligent

busy, industrious, diligent, assiduous, sedulous mean actively engaged or occupied.

busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure.

too busy to spend time with the children

industrious implies characteristic or habitual devotion to work.

industrious employees

diligent suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit.

very diligent in her pursuit of a degree

assiduous stresses careful and unremitting application.

assiduous practice

sedulous implies painstaking and persevering application.

a sedulous investigation of the murder

Examples of diligent in a Sentence

The American intelligence community's single greatest failing is its lack of good "humint"—human intelligence, the dirty, diligent, shoe-leather penetration of terror networks. —Johanna McGeary, Time, 15 Oct. 2001

Like any diligent foreign correspondent, he attends the briefings and collects face time with the officials, but he knows it's the citizens … who tell the truth … —Rolling Stone, 19 Sept. 1996

He was a fourth-year drama student at UCLA and diligent about such valuable actorly exercises as eavesdropping, spying, and telling complicated lies to fellow passengers on airplanes. —Michael Chabon, A Model World and Other Stories, 1991

In spite of diligent work as editor, hack writer, sea captain, and assorted other trades, he wound up poor. —Monroe K. Spears, American Ambitions, 1987

a student who has been unceasingly diligent in pursuit of a degree in mathematics

Recent Examples on the Web

Some 20 years later, another Times writer, sounding like an anti-DEI whiner, wrote approvingly about diligent Indians grateful for free schooling and medical services, and disapprovingly about the Indians who weren’t. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2024

Guinness is specific and diligent with its instructions. —Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2024

The co-worker said the baby’s father was a diligent worker but somewhat odd. —Ellen Moynihan, New York Daily News, 6 Nov. 2024

Meteorologists, public entities such as NOAA and the National Hurricane Center, and public officials were diligent and urgent in forewarning those in the hurricanes’ path about the breadth of potential impacts and the risk to life and property. —Jim Foerster, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin diligent-, diligens, from present participle of diligere to esteem, love, from di- (from dis- apart) + legere to select — more at legend

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

diligent

adjective

dil·​i·​gent ˈdil-ə-jənt 

: showing steady and earnest care and effort : painstaking

a diligent search

a diligent worker

diligently adverb