industrious

adjective

in·​dus·​tri·​ous in-ˈdə-strē-əs How to pronounce industrious (audio)
1
: constantly, regularly, or habitually active or occupied : diligent
an industrious worker
2
obsolete : skillful, ingenious
industriously adverb
industriousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for industrious

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 industrious in a Sentence

He is an industrious worker. an industrious worker who never seems to sleep
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Together with ticks, these industrious rodents help spread a disease that affects hundreds of thousands every year. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025 Today, this San Francisco staple is known as the birthplace of Irish coffee in the U.S. and continues to boast the same delicious recipe made by industrious bartenders in a charming old-timey setting. Nadia Lopez, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025 Playing out of position at right-back, and ably supported by industrious Jesper Lindstrom — who, out of possession, often dropped back into the defence to make a five-strong line — O’Brien showed flashes of the promise that persuaded the club to sign him for £17million ($21.6m). Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025 The end of the month could bring even more clever ideas to boost your income, so get industrious. Nina Kahn, StyleCaster, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for industrious

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of industrious was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Industrious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/industrious. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

industrious

adjective
in·​dus·​tri·​ous in-ˈdəs-trē-əs How to pronounce industrious (audio)
: constantly or regularly active or occupied
an industrious farmer
industriously adverb
industriousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on industrious

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