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

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

By the beginning of the 1990s, studios like Pixar, Aardman, and Blue Sky revitalized animation in the English-speaking world and brought a vigor to the art form that led to the formation of the Best Animated Feature category. —Jeremy Fassler, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2025

Such conduct includes hard core collusion, mergers that reduce competitive vigor, and maintenance of monopolies through the inefficient exclusion or imposition of costs on competitors. —Alden Abbott, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025

Diane von Furstenberg: Woman Before Fashion builds on that work with new vigor and a new dimension - the creative energy and conquering spirit of one extraordinary woman. —Tom Teicholz, Forbes, 11 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