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Meaning & use

vigor

noun·AcademicAmerican

Last updated

UK/ˈvɪɡə/
US/ˈvɪɡər/

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    Strong, healthy energy in body or mind.

    Grammar: Often used with with: working with vigor.

    Patterns

    • with vigor
    • full of vigor

    The old farmer still works with surprising vigor.

    She felt renewed vigor after a week at the lake.

    The puppy chased the ball with great vigor.

  2. noununcountable

    Force and determination in doing something or defending an idea.

    Grammar: Used with abstract things: defend a view with vigor.

    Patterns

    • with vigor

    The lawyer argued her case with vigor.

    The company pursued the new market with vigor.

    Both sides debated the law with vigor.

  3. noununcountable

    The healthy growth and strength of a plant or a system.

    Grammar: Used for plants and economies.

    Patterns

    • the vigor of something

    The vigor of the young trees surprised the gardener.

    The economy showed new vigor this year.

    Fertilizer improved the vigor of the roses.

Common combinations

youthful vigor
He had the youthful vigor of a man half his age.
renewed vigor
The team played with renewed vigor.
with vigor
She scrubbed the floor with vigor.
physical vigor
Daily walks keep physical vigor high.
lack vigor
The first draft lacked vigor.

Synonyms and how they differ

energy
Energy is the everyday word, while vigor suggests healthy strength together with force.
vitality
Vitality stresses liveliness and the sense of being alive, while vigor stresses strength in action.
zeal
Zeal is passion for a cause, not physical strength.
stamina
Stamina means the ability to keep going for a long time, while vigor describes strength at the moment.

Opposites

weaknesslethargy

Word family

vigorous adjective
strong and energetic
vigorously adverb
in a strong, forceful way
invigorate verb
to give energy to
vigorousness noun
the quality of being vigorous

Commonly confused: vigor or vigour? vigor or rigor?

vigor vs vigour

Vigour is the British spelling; the meaning is identical.

vigor vs rigor

Rigor means strictness or thoroughness, not energy.

Practice

She attacked the project with vigor. What does this tell us?

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