stringent

adjective

strin·​gent ˈstrin-jənt How to pronounce stringent (audio)
1
2
: marked by rigor, strictness, or severity especially with regard to rule or standard
stringent decontamination procedures
3
: marked by money scarcity and credit strictness
a stringent budget
stringently adverb

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How Should You Use stringent?

Words that are synonymous with stringent include rigid, which implies uncompromising inflexibility ("rigid rules of conduct"), and rigorous, which suggests hardship and difficulty ("the rigorous training of firefighters"). Also closely related is strict, which emphasizes undeviating conformity to rules, standards, or requirements ("strict enforcement of the law"). Stringent usually involves severe, tight restrictions or limitations ("the college has stringent admissions rules"). That's logical. After all, rigorous and rigid are both derived from rigēre, the Latin word meaning "to be stiff," and stringent and strict developed from the Latin verb stringere, meaning "to bind tight."

Choose the Right Synonym for stringent

rigid, rigorous, strict, stringent mean extremely severe or stern.

rigid implies uncompromising inflexibility.

rigid rules of conduct

rigorous implies the imposition of hardship and difficulty.

the rigorous training of recruits

strict emphasizes undeviating conformity to rules, standards, or requirements.

strict enforcement of the law

stringent suggests severe, tight restriction or limitation.

stringent standards of admission

Examples of stringent in a Sentence

stringent rules against unauthorized persons being in the building
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This supports meeting stringent regulatory requirements like HIPAA, GDPR, CMMC and PCI-DSS, even for AI/ML workloads with highly sensitive datasets. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025 Instead of dictating stringent requirements to contractors and purchasing the satellites outright, the Space Force will levy fewer requirements and select a commercial company to develop the next generation of GSSAP satellites. ArsTechnica, 19 May 2025 The company sets stringent, but achievable, environmental and social criteria that drive meaningful change. Lauren Parker, Sourcing Journal, 19 May 2025 Starting the clock in 1980 is rhetorically convenient because inequality was then unusually low, following decades of steep taxation and stringent regulation that had dampened entrepreneurship and curtailed many ambitious career paths. Daniel Waldenstrom, Foreign Affairs, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for stringent

Word History

Etymology

Latin stringent-, stringens, present participle of stringere

First Known Use

1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stringent was in 1736

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Cite this Entry

“Stringent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stringent. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

stringent

adjective
strin·​gent ˈstrin-jənt How to pronounce stringent (audio)
1
: tying, drawing, or pressing tight
2
: strict in setting standards or following rules
stringent training
stringently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on stringent

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