strenuous

adjective

ˈstren-yə-wəs How to pronounce strenuous (audio)
Definition of strenuousnext
1
as in vigorous
marked by or uttered with forcefulness parents who voiced strenuous objections to the new textbooks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort a strenuous workout on the obstacle course

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective strenuous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of strenuous are energetic, lusty, nervous, and vigorous. While all these words mean "having or showing great vitality and force," strenuous suggests a preference for coping with the arduous or the challenging.

the strenuous life on an oil rig

When is energetic a more appropriate choice than strenuous?

The words energetic and strenuous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, energetic suggests a capacity for intense activity.

an energetic campaigner

In what contexts can lusty take the place of strenuous?

Although the words lusty and strenuous have much in common, lusty implies exuberant energy and capacity for enjoyment.

a lusty appetite for life

When could nervous be used to replace strenuous?

While in some cases nearly identical to strenuous, nervous suggests especially the forcibleness and sustained effectiveness resulting from mental vigor.

full of nervous energy

When might vigorous be a better fit than strenuous?

The meanings of vigorous and strenuous largely overlap; however, vigorous further implies showing no signs of depletion or diminishing of freshness or robustness.

as vigorous as a youth half his age

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 strenuous Even now, Young recalls the bright side of the strenuous work — spending much of his day at home with his mom. —Renée Onque, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2025 Among the topics that have required extensive and strenuous planning: parking, the impact of more than 150 baseball games on surrounding neighborhoods, security staffing, and fans navigating nearby road and building construction. —Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025 Such strenuous work was forced by the absence of Toby Fournier, Duke’s star freshman, who was ruled out with an illness. —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 But some day we will be compelled to take time to recuperate for the strenuous life. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for strenuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strenuous
  1. vigorous
  2. difficult
  3. aggressive
  4. challenging
  5. violent
  6. rigorous
  7. emphatic
  8. tough
Adjective
  • These look sporty and have high side bolsters, which keep you firmly in place during vigorous driving.
    — James Morris, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Seedlings seem susceptible to diseases and not vigorous enough to form the new turf.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
Definition of vigorous
Adjective
  • Third, operational command of Kamikaze planes is difficult because results cannot be evaluated with any accuracy.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Instead, the major drama comes in the form of Ivy’s corruption by her acting coach, as Ivy gradually goes method and becomes as difficult to work with as Marilyn was (one of this musical’s many meta moments).
    — Christian Lewis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • There are also more aggressive interventions for people with severe allergies who don’t respond to other medicines like desensitization therapy, also known as allergy shots.
    — Umair Irfan, Wired News, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The two were very aggressive from the start of the fight, with a lot of output.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • Having a terminal diagnosis is challenging but also clarifying.
    — Ashley M. Wilcox, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Assessing type A skills of collaboration solely from resumes can be challenging.
    — Ming-Chien Chyu, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of challenging
Adjective
  • Third, the violent reaction in financial markets that followed Mr. Trump's latest tariff salvo could persuade him to change course.
    — Alain Sherter, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Adams said the pair had discussed how to combat violent migrant gangs and embedding more New York Police Department officers into federal task forces.
    — Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of violent
Adjective
  • That’s the cost of such rigorous theming: Since you’re supposed to be inside a game, anything that gets in the way of that illusion is banned.
    — Todd Anderson, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
  • To receive autism certification through Autism Double Checked, staff at participating properties go through rigorous training on how to best support their autistic guests, such as how to adapt a menu for a picky eater and how to avoid strongly scented cleaning products.
    — Jamie Davis Smith, AFAR Media, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of rigorous
Adjective
  • The former 154-pound champion started putting the building blocks back in place to make a run back at a world title with an emphatic fourth-round TKO win over Joey Spencer.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Over the years in live performances, Elton has often put a bit more shine on the back half, buoying the vocals and banging through emphatic piano accompaniments.
    — Shana Naomi Krochmal, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of emphatic
Adjective
  • But, then, the Warriors aren’t the only tough out in an overloaded Western Conference.
    — Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2025
  • What tough lessons does Cole learn through the process of getting involved with a patient this season?
    — Max Gao, Variety, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of tough

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strengthens
strenuous
strenuously
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Cite this Entry

“Strenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strenuous. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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