STRENUOUS Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

strenuous

adjective

ˈstren-yə-wəs

Definition of strenuous

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

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 This transition aims to reduce physical strain on human workers by shifting high-risk and strenuous tasks directly to automation. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026 If anything, the fact that centuries-old rituals coexist with sweet Italian sausages and big, floppy pizza slices speaks to a lengthy, strenuous and beautiful process of cultural assimilation. — Clare Whitton, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026 The key is to work at a strenuous pace for four minutes, recover slowly, and repeat. — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 9 Sep. 2026 People are also urged to wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing, to limit strenuous activities to early morning or early evening hours and to take action when experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for strenuous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strenuous

Adjective

The legendary French fashion house was making a second issue of its surprisingly vigorous, thick-stock glossy art magazine.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 9 Oct. 2026
Brisk walking, light cycling, doubles tennis and household chores such as vacuuming, mopping and mowing the lawn were categorized as moderate activity; vigorous activity included jogging, fast cycling, singles tennis and aerobics.

— Jennifer Fields, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of vigorous

Adjective

The problem, Snegovaya said, is that achieving military autonomy for Europe and Ukraine is extremely difficult in the short term, and Europe has been slow to develop the necessary capabilities.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
Past changes have pushed the glacier into a retreat that may be difficult to reverse, while new modeling suggests scientists may have underestimated how warm seawater reaches beneath it.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

While Chelsea tend to retreat after taking the lead, their opponents also become more aggressive in response, committing extra bodies forward and helping to create more open, end-to-end encounters.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
The acquisition comes after the distributor’s founder and then-CEO, Andrew Karpen, died from an aggressive form of brain cancer at the age of 59 in May 2025.

— Brian Welk, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of aggressive

Adjective

As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, one musician at Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music is challenging expectations about classical music and the harp.

— Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Naomi Ackie, who plays the scientist charged with Hagen’s experimental procedure, praised how her co-star shouldered what was a very challenging role.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

That, in turn, reveals a family history of violent gravitational instability caused by events like giant collisions and planetary ejections.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026
The show, which can certainly be tense, spends more time on being funny than violent.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of violent

Adjective

Finally, Horrigan noted that inbound freight deserves the same rigorous management as outbound, stressing that procurement teams need visibility into the freight component of supplier pricing.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
The whole piece is about the free and rigorous interplay of line.

— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of rigorous

Adjective

Salma Paralluelo found space down the left flank, whipped in a cross and picked out Navarro for an emphatic finish.

— Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 10 Oct. 2026
Nafis Ud Doula, director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and a member of the RSC board, is emphatic about the industry’s position.

— Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of emphatic

Adjective

Celebrity hairstylist Brian Magallones considers this the perfect balance between a not-too-fussy and not-too-structured chignon, a style that sounds tough to style without a professional team but is actually quite easy to master at-home.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Coming off that dominant performance against the Yankees, Rasmussen went six-plus tough innings.

— Rob Maaddi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of tough

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strengthens

strenuous

strenuously

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“Strenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strenuous. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of strenuous

adjective

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The Words of the Week - 9/11/20

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