DILIGENT

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does diligent mean? 

• DILIGENT (adjective)
  The adjective DILIGENT has 2 senses:

1. quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness

2. characterized by care and perseverance in carrying out tasks

  Familiarity information: DILIGENT used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DILIGENT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness

Synonyms:

diligent; persevering

Context example:

with persevering (or patient) industry she revived the failing business

Similar:

patient (enduring trying circumstances with even temper or characterized by such endurance)

Derivation:

diligence (persevering determination to perform a task)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Characterized by care and perseverance in carrying out tasks

Context example:

a diligent search of the files

Similar:

assiduous; sedulous (marked by care and persistent effort)

hardworking; industrious; tireless; untiring (characterized by hard work and perseverance)

Also:

busy (actively or fully engaged or occupied)

careful (exercising caution or showing care or attention)

Antonym:

negligent (characterized by neglect and undue lack of concern)

Derivation:

diligence (persevering determination to perform a task)

 Context examples 

A farmer had a faithful and diligent servant, who had worked hard for him three years, without having been paid any wages.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

I watch your career with interest, because I consider you a specimen of a diligent, orderly, energetic woman: not because I deeply compassionate what you have gone through, or what you still suffer.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I found, on glancing at the remaining contents of the newspaper, that Mr. Micawber was a diligent and esteemed correspondent of that journal.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I would gladly have taken a dozen of the natives, but this was a thing the emperor would by no means permit; and, besides a diligent search into my pockets, his majesty engaged my honour not to carry away any of his subjects, although with their own consent and desire.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Jane, you are docile, diligent, disinterested, faithful, constant, and courageous; very gentle, and very heroic: cease to mistrust yourself—I can trust you unreservedly.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)