Synonym Chooser

How is the word sedulous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of sedulous are assiduous, busy, diligent, and industrious. While all these words mean "actively engaged or occupied," sedulous implies painstaking and persevering application.

a sedulous investigation of the murder

Where would assiduous be a reasonable alternative to sedulous?

The synonyms assiduous and sedulous are sometimes interchangeable, but assiduous stresses careful and unremitting application.

assiduous practice

When can busy be used instead of sedulous?

The meanings of busy and sedulous largely overlap; however, busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure.

too busy to spend time with the children

When is diligent a more appropriate choice than sedulous?

Although the words diligent and sedulous have much in common, diligent suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit.

very diligent in her pursuit of a degree

In what contexts can industrious take the place of sedulous?

The words industrious and sedulous can be used in similar contexts, but industrious implies characteristic or habitual devotion to work.

industrious employees

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sedulous Putting festivals like this on stage is clearly just one part of the slow, sedulous work of relationship building and repair. Jeremy Eichler, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Mar. 2023 Among the advantages that billionaires receive due to their wealth is sedulous defenses by journalists and other camp followers. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2022 The wrong calls on the Truss program reflected a knee-jerk impulse of supply-siders to react to anything even remotely resembling the policies of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan with sedulous adoration. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2022 Led by Martin Amis, their ranks included Julian Barnes, Salman Rushdie—and a sedulous outlier named A.N. Wilson. Brenda Cronin, WSJ, 28 Oct. 2022 Manchin has been a sedulous supporter of the fossil fuel industry. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2022 The skirmish over Arista was the second great battle of Clive’s life, as a sedulous Vanity Fair account of the affair put it. Amy X. Wang, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2021 One might be tempted to defend this sedulous cultivation of Tom Barrack by Bloomberg and Charlie Rose by asserting that no one on the outside could know the truth of what was going on inside Trump’s brain or the Middle East at the time. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedulous
Adjective
  • Herbert is way too talented, too good an athlete, too intelligent, too diligent and too well-respected by his colleagues not to succeed.
    Mirjam Swanson, Orange County Register, 15 Jan. 2025
  • Be diligent about knowing the state of your employees.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Compared to 21 to 25-year-old workers in 2018, today's Gen Z feels 11 percent more stressed, 9 percent more overwhelmed, 8 percent less happy, 8 percent less engaged and 5 percent less successful.
    Jess Thomson, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
  • By ensuring leaders model accountability and communicate clear organizational values, companies can create environments where employees feel respected and engaged.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Zoom in: In December, Indianapolis International Airport announced that more than 10 million people traveled through the airport in 2024, a new record. More than 2.8 million people flew through the Indy airport in June, July and August, marking the busiest summer in the airport's history.
    Justin L. Mack, Axios, 22 Jan. 2025
  • And the 2025 awards ceremony could turn out to be a pretty busy night for him: Noah is also serving as a producer for the show, and could potentially need to get up and give an acceptance speech as one of this year’s nominees.
    Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2025

Podcast

Thesaurus Entries Near sedulous

Cite this Entry

“Sedulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedulous. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on sedulous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!