VIGOROUS Synonyms: 207 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

vigorous

adjective

ˈvi-g(ə-)rəs

Definition of vigorous

as in energetic

having active strength of body or mind he remains healthy and vigorous despite being over 80 years old

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sturdy

able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure vigorous and sturdy little sheep bred to live in mountainous regions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in aggressive

marked by or uttered with forcefulness offered a vigorous dissent to the proposal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in strong

not showing weakness or uncertainty gave the bottle of sauce a vigorous shaking

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Among women who don’t exercise, even small amounts of vigorous intermittent physical activity can lower risk of all major adverse cardiovascular events. — Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2026 Miss Neal is vibrant and lovely as the young widow, and Hugh Marlowe is vigorous as her ambitious suitor. — Thr Staff, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026 One performed 20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous cycling, at 80% of their maximum heart rate. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026 Micron is awash in cash due to soaring profit margins and vigorous pricing power. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vigorous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigorous

Adjective

By studying what happens when these energetic particles collide with target materials, scientists can investigate the shapes and sizes of atomic nuclei.

— Andrea Richard, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026
About 35 times more energetic than any neutrino seen before, it was picked up by the under-construction Cubic Kilometer Neutrino Telescope (KM3NeT) detector off the coast of Sicily.

— Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of energetic

Adjective

Despite these headwinds, the labor market has proven sturdy so far this year.

— Max Zahn, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
But once assembly was complete the pit was very sturdy, and my wife and I were easily able to carry it between my porch and a crushed-stone section of my backyard that usually holds a firepit, trying it in both places.

— Noah Kaufman, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of sturdy

Adjective

These two phases of work are joined by Serra’s implicit disavowal of abstraction as a form of imagemaking in favor of an object’s aggressive purchase on the real.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Her challenger is Herb Morgan, a Republican from San Diego who promises a more aggressive approach to the job.

— Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of aggressive

Adjective

Mercury in Scorpio squares Mars in Leo, making opinions stronger, reactions quicker, and certain conversations easier to escalate than intended.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
Fire officials had also failed to take advantage of satellite imagery after strong winds grounded their typical eyes in the sky, aircraft.

— Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of strong

Adjective

These hardy plants often flower without assistance, but cutting them back to the ground in late fall increases their chance of double blooming next year.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2026
Of course, a yeast that can survive on Mars is … well, a yeast that can survive on Mars, which could actually risk contaminating the planet with hardy and fast-multiplying Earth microbes.

— Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of hardy

Adjective

Officials at the meeting discussed the rise in yields, attributing them to expectations for higher rates from the Fed as well as the build-out in artificial intelligence and solid economic growth.

— Jeff Cox, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
All of these features sit on a durable Goodyear® Performance Outsole, so from the heel to the toe and from the top to the bottom, their feet are in for a solid, supportive run.

— Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of solid

Browse Nearby Words

vigor

vigorous

vigorously

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Vigorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigorous. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of vigorous

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes