Meaning & use
diligent in
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Working hard and carefully at a particular activity or task.
Grammar: Followed by a noun or an -ing verb: diligent in your studies / diligent in checking details.
Patterns
- diligent in something
- diligent in doing something
She is diligent in her research and never misses a deadline.
He is diligent in checking every figure before sending the report.
The team was diligent in following safety procedures.
Common combinations
- diligent in your duties
- The new manager is diligent in her duties and arrives early every day.
- diligent in studies
- He is diligent in his studies, so his grades have improved.
- diligent in checking
- They were diligent in checking the accounts for errors.
- diligent in following up
- A good salesperson is diligent in following up with customers.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hardworking
- Describes a general habit of working hard, while 'diligent in' focuses on careful effort in a specific activity.
- careful
- Emphasizes avoiding mistakes; 'diligent in' adds steady, persistent effort.
- conscientious
- Suggests doing what is right and thorough; 'diligent in' is more about effort directed at a task.
Opposites
Word family
- diligence noun
- The quality of working hard and carefully.
- diligently adverb
- In a hardworking and careful way.
Commonly confused: diligent in or intelligent?
diligent in vs intelligent
Means 'clever'; 'diligent' is about effort, not natural ability.
Practice
She is diligent ___ her homework, so she rarely makes mistakes.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'diligent in something'. 'Diligent at' is sometimes used, but 'diligent in' is the standard choice with activities like homework.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “diligent in”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.