vigor

noun

vig·​or ˈvi-gər 

1

: active bodily or mental strength or force

2

: active healthy well-balanced growth especially of plants

3

: intensity of action or effect : force

4

: effective legal status

Synonyms

• beans
• bounce
• brio
• dash
• drive
• dynamism
• energy
• esprit
• gas
• get-up-and-go
• ginger
• go
• gusto
• hardihood
• juice
• life
• moxie
• oomph
• pep
• punch
• sap
• snap
• starch
• verve
• vim
• vinegar
• vitality
• zing
• zip

Examples of vigor in a Sentence

She defended her beliefs with great vigor.

she was picked to lead the volunteer group because of her vigor and enthusiasm

Recent Examples on the Web

The fan who caught Flores’ home run ball threw it back on the field with such vigor that the ball ended up in the infield, rolling past Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025

April 12: The Full Moon in Libra brings balance back into our lives through partnerships. April 12: Venus turns direct, allowing our romantic feelings to flow. April 16: Mercury moves into Aries again, combining vigor and gusto to our words. —Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 18 Mar. 2025

As to whether aging impairs bodily vigor, Cicero claimed that strength and speed are less related to age than discipline. —Richard Gunderman, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025

Anthony Bourdain was an exception who brought real vigor and energy to the genre. —Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vigour, from Anglo-French, from Latin vigor, from vigēre to be vigorous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing vigor

• hybrid vigor
• vim and vigor

Rhymes for vigor

• bigger
• digger
• jigger
• rigger
• rigor
• trigger
• gravedigger
• obligor
• outrigger

Kids Definition

vigor

noun

vig·​or ˈvig-ər 

1

: active strength or energy of body or mind

2

: active strength or force

Medical Definition

vigor

variants or chiefly British vigour

see hybrid vigor