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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective vigorous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of vigorous are energetic, lusty, nervous, and strenuous. While all these words mean "having or showing great vitality and force," vigorous further implies showing no signs of depletion or diminishing of freshness or robustness.

as vigorous as a youth half his age

Where would energetic be a reasonable alternative to vigorous?

Although the words energetic and vigorous have much in common, energetic suggests a capacity for intense activity.

an energetic campaigner

In what contexts can lusty take the place of vigorous?

While the synonyms lusty and vigorous are close in meaning, lusty implies exuberant energy and capacity for enjoyment.

a lusty appetite for life

When is it sensible to use nervous instead of vigorous?

In some situations, the words nervous and vigorous are roughly equivalent. However, nervous suggests especially the forcibleness and sustained effectiveness resulting from mental vigor.

full of nervous energy

When can strenuous be used instead of vigorous?

The synonyms strenuous and vigorous are sometimes interchangeable, but strenuous suggests a preference for coping with the arduous or the challenging.

the strenuous life on an oil rig

Examples 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 vigorous Antitrust courts have repeatedly stressed that antitrust is concerned with vigorous competition, not the welfare of individual competitors. Alden Abbott, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024 Levin was drawn to Reconstructing Judaism because of their embrace of vigorous debate and science, but with a commitment to being Jewish. Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 2 Oct. 2024 Too many Democrats appear convinced that a vigorous defense of trans rights would instantly cost them their elections, even though polls have shown for years that most voters oppose anti-trans policies and rhetoric. Samantha Riedel, Them, 24 Oct. 2024 The resulting air of authenticity is palpable, yet the fast-moving action, cleverly constructed story line, and vigorous performances feel synthetic throughout. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for vigorous 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigorous
Adjective
  • Kamala Harris Oakland’s VP ran an energetic campaign.
    Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
  • In fact, scientists suspect that the magnetosphere coaxes Triton’s energetic particles to cross over to Neptune’s atmosphere and excite auroral flares on the planet.
    Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Some of the main selling points include the sturdy zipper that didn’t snag once during testing and the 600-fill down for its insulated warmth.
    Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 4 Nov. 2024
  • The problem is, my sturdy 1-inch pruners are bulky in my pocket and tiring to use.
    Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • But the caveat is that strategy requires an aggressive sales function.
    Jesse Silvertown, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Throughout the election season, Republicans and Democrats viewed Arizona's 11 electoral college votes as up for grabs, which meant both parties did aggressive campaigning throughout the state and both Trump and Harris visited on multiple occasions.
    Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.
    Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2023
  • This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.
    National Geographic, National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
  • Dropbox Business is a robust cloud storage and file-sharing app with enough range and flexibility to satisfy most small to midsize businesses (SMBs).
    Robert Anderson, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Through eight games, Barkley has run for 925 yards (on a robust 5.9 yards per carry) with six touchdowns.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Overwintering Chocolate Cosmos Chocolate cosmos are reliably winter hardy in USDA zones 9 through 11, where plants die back to the ground in fall and regrow the following spring.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2024
  • In my experience, hardy nursery products, such as oaks, maples and flowering dogwoods, tend to sell out quickly during this season due to buyers' confidence in these plants' survival and growth potential.
    Tammy Sons, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • At the time, Taylor was emphatic that the pair were not divorcing.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2024
  • There is an emphatic truthfulness to the story and the performances that anchor it, which is both refreshing and innovative.
    Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2024
Adjective
  • The 100 denier nylon was plenty hearty for our stress testing as were the large zippers with solid straightforward pulls.
    Joe Jackson, Outside Online, 14 Nov. 2024
  • Blackwood was coming off a 44-save performance in the Sharks’ 1-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, continuing a trend of solid play.
    Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near vigorous

Cite this Entry

“Vigorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigorous. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on vigorous

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