Meaning & use
lack of rigor
Last updated
Meaning
phraseuncountable
The absence of strictness, thoroughness, or careful accuracy in a process or piece of work.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun phrase; it takes a singular verb: 'A lack of rigor is a problem.'
Patterns
- lack of rigor in something
- show a lack of rigor
- criticize something for a lack of rigor
The study was rejected for its lack of rigor in data collection.
There is a lack of rigor in the way the experiments were conducted.
The professor pointed out the lack of rigor in the student's argument.
Common combinations
- lack of rigor in
- The lack of rigor in the analysis made the conclusions unreliable.
- show a lack of rigor
- The paper showed a lack of rigor in its methodology.
- criticize for a lack of rigor
- The review criticized the book for a lack of rigor.
- suffer from a lack of rigor
- The training program suffers from a lack of rigor.
Synonyms and how they differ
- laxity
- Laxity suggests a lack of strictness or discipline; lack of rigor often implies a failure to be thorough or precise.
- sloppiness
- Sloppiness is more informal and suggests carelessness; lack of rigor is more formal and often used in academic contexts.
Opposites
Word family
- rigor noun
- Strictness or thoroughness (British spelling: rigour).
- rigorous adjective
- Very strict, careful, or thorough.
- rigorously adverb
- In a very strict or thorough way.
Commonly confused: lack of rigor or lack of vigor?
lack of rigor vs lack of vigor
Vigor means energy or enthusiasm; rigor means strictness or thoroughness. They are different qualities.
Practice
The scientific journal rejected the paper because of its ______ in the experimental design.
Choose one answer.
'Lack of rigor' means not being thorough or strict enough, which is a common criticism of experimental design. 'Lack of vigor' would mean a lack of energy, which is less relevant to scientific methods.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lack of rigor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.