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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

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 strenuous Experience: There are several hiking trails around Bell Rock, from easy paths to more strenuous climbs. Erica Wertheim Zohar, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 This includes: Anxiety Increased stress levels A strenuous workout A physically demanding job Your physical and mental stress levels can fluctuate. Janelle McSwiggin, Msn, Rn, Health, 27 Sep. 2024 For all the strenuous appeals to how important an issue crypto is for everyday Americans, there’s no evidence that this is actually true. Whizy Kim, Vox, 13 Sep. 2024 This helps regulate your core body temperature during transitions and strenuous activity. Outside Online, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for strenuous 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strenuous
Adjective
  • You might be involved in sports in a vigorous way today.
    Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 14 Nov. 2024
  • Most were evident when Newsom was elected governor in 2018, promising vigorous efforts to neutralize them, such as his ridiculous pledge to build 3.5 million units of housing, but most have become even more intractable during his reign.
    Dan Walters, Orange County Register, 14 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The melodic lines, particularly for brass, are very difficult to navigate.
    Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
  • High frequencies are more difficult to block out than other tones, as high-end noise-cancelling headphones from Apple, Bose, and Sony perform similarly.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • 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
  • But the caveat is that strategy requires an aggressive sales function.
    Jesse Silvertown, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The company continues to focus on expanding its distribution business and broadening its product range, despite the challenging economic environment.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
  • The digital detox journey can be challenging, but many people discover it to be rewarding in the end.
    Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Expect more videos aimed at further upsetting supporters of a losing candidate and designed to incite violent protests, officials have said.
    Sam Sabin, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Domestic violent extremists have increasingly shared tactics with each other on using guns to attack electric power stations in a move that likely escalates the threat to US critical infrastructure, according to a Department of Homeland Security bulletin obtained last year by CNN.
    Karina Tsui, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Yet a Brown University study found that students who took courses from professors with more rigorous grading standards learned more.
    Karin Klein, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
  • And the Bruins played a rigorous out-of-state schedule to prepare for another run.
    Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 6 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 Buffs need to find a way to grind out tough yards on the ground, especially late.
    Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
  • Bosa confirmed Wednesday that playing through a hip injury last game was the toughest pain he’s endured in 5 1/2 seasons.
    Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near strenuous

Cite this Entry

“Strenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strenuous. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on strenuous

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