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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

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 vigorous When thinning, aim to leave the strongest seedlings and remove less vigorous neighbors. Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 May 2025 Mow lawns often enough to keep turf at the proper height for vigorous growth. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 May 2025 The first is Alina Chan, a molecular biologist at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the author of Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19, and a dogged advocate for more vigorous investigations of the lab-leak theory and tighter restrictions on virology research. Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 May 2025 With that in mind, what are some moderate or vigorous bursts of exercise for older adults to do every day? Paul Von Zielbauer, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for vigorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigorous
Adjective
  • Host Jennifer Lopez opened the show with an energetic dance number to a medley that included a mashup of songs by Beyoncé, Eilish, Shaboozey, Chappell Roan and more.
    Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 27 May 2025
  • Rod Stewart, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, closed out the evening with an energetic performance.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 26 May 2025
Adjective
  • Yet while hiring generally has slowed, other economists figured job growth remained sturdy last month as companies frustrated by labor shortages during the pandemic continued to curtail layoffs.
    Paul Davidson, USA Today, 7 June 2025
  • Uwharrie National Forest About 1 hour and 15 minutes from Charlotte Pack sunscreen, bug spray, sturdy walking shoes, and lots of water and snacks for a day trip to Uwharrie National Forest—one of four national forests in North Carolina—and the Badin Lake Recreation Area.
    Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • Addressing the Obvious Critiques Yes, 3–4% real growth is aggressive.
    Don Muir, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • After the aggressive animal showed no signs of leaving, the woman’s boyfriend fatally shot it, officials said.
    Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2025
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
  • On the complex palate, vibrant fruit emerges, supported by a robust herbaceous backbone, while subtle wood adds depth to the outstanding finish.
    Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • The district put in a robust information technology infrastructure, including voice over internet protocol phones.
    Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Adjective
  • Plants have larger foliage and bigger blooms than their tropical counterparts and are winter hardy.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 May 2025
  • Above the tidal zone begins a maquis of mastic, myrtle, helichrysum, arbutus, and other fragrant, hardy plants, which in the higher, more remote parts of the island give way to groves of ilex, eucalyptus, and stone pine.
    Lee Marshall, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • When asked if the current staffing shortages would affect the accuracy of storm forecast models, Graham was emphatic.
    Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
  • The lasting image from that series was Roy Hibbert’s emphatic block on Carmelo Anthony with 5:03 left in Game 6.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Eufy Life mobile app is solid, including easy at-a-glance views, long-term charts, and drill-down capabilities.
    Christopher Null, Wired News, 4 June 2025
  • Manufacturers have begun to feel the effects, but the overall job market has remained solid, with layoffs remaining relatively low, and inflation has not taken off.
    Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vigorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigorous. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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