Meaning & use
use diligently
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Meaning
phrasetransitive
to use something with steady, careful effort over time, not just once or casually.
Grammar: Takes an object: use your time diligently. The adverb comes after the object, not before the verb.
Patterns
- use something diligently
- use diligently
If you use your study time diligently, you will pass the exam.
She used the training manual diligently and learned the software in a week.
Common combinations
- use your time diligently
- He used his time diligently and finished the project early.
- use resources diligently
- The team used its resources diligently to keep costs low.
- use diligently every day
- Use the app diligently every day and you will see progress.
Synonyms and how they differ
- apply yourself
- This means to work hard at something, but it does not take an object; you apply yourself to a task, while you use a tool or method diligently.
- work hard at
- This focuses on effort, not on using a particular thing; use diligently always needs an object like a tool, method, or routine.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: use diligently or use diligently vs. use frequently?
use diligently vs use diligently vs. use frequently
Diligently means with careful effort; frequently means often. You can use something frequently but not carefully, or diligently but only once.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The adverb diligently normally comes after the object: use something diligently. Option B is possible in formal writing but less natural here; option An and D place the adverb wrongly.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “use diligently”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.