diligence

diligence — noun

1. the habit of focusing completely on what you are doing and continuing to work ha

1.nounB2
Definition

the habit of focusing completely on what you are doing and continuing to work hard even when the work becomes difficult or boring

Example

Antonia's diligence in checking every figure saved the company from a costly mistake.

collocation: diligence in + -ing verb

The professor praised Linh for her diligence in researching primary sources for the paper.

passive pattern: praised for + noun

Common collocations
  • great diligence
  • due diligence
  • with diligence
  • show diligence
  • demonstrate diligence
  • require diligence
  • reward diligence
  • diligence in + noun / -ing verb
  • work with diligence
  • approach something with diligence
Synonyms
  • assiduousness

    more formal and literary; suggests constant, careful attention over a long period

  • industriousness

    emphasises being hard-working and busy, without the nuance of carefulness

  • conscientiousness

    adds a moral dimension of wanting to do things right and thoroughly

  • perseverance

    focuses on continuing despite difficulty, rather than on careful or thorough work

Antonyms
  • laziness

    lack of effort or willingness to work

  • negligence

    failure to take proper care or pay attention, especially in a professional duty

  • carelessness

    lack of attention or thought, resulting in mistakes

Grammar Patterns

diligence in + noun / in + -ing verb

Usage Note

Uncountable noun — do not use a plural form. Very common in the fixed phrase due diligence, which refers to the careful research and verification expected before a business deal. Frequently appears with in (diligence in doing something) or with show / demonstrate / require.

Common Mistakes

He showed many diligences in his work.
He showed great diligence in his work.
diligence is uncountable and never takes a plural form.
I appreciate your diligent.
I appreciate your diligence.
diligent is an adjective; use the noun form diligence when referring to the quality itself.

Word family

  • diligent
    adjectiveB2
  • diligently
    adverbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Diligence combines careful attention with sustained effort, making it broader than its near-synonyms. Assiduous (and assiduousness) is more literary and implies constant focused attention — you would praise an assiduous scholar but not an assiduous warehouse worker. Industrious focuses purely on hard work and productivity without the carefulness component — someone can be industrious but careless. Conscientious adds a sense of moral duty to doing things thoroughly, often used for people who feel personally responsible for quality. Perseverance is about continuing despite obstacles or discouragement, whereas diligence is about the quality of the work itself. A student shows diligence by carefully reviewing every chapter, perseverance by studying through a difficult semester, and conscientiousness by feeling that skipping a reading would be wrong.

assiduousindustriousconscientious ↗perseverance

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • due diligence
  • with diligence
  • work with diligence
  • show diligence in

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin diligentia, meaning 'attentiveness, carefulness,' which comes from diligere 'to love, to value highly, to take delight in.' The idea is that you pay careful attention to something you value. The word entered English through Old French in the 14th century, originally carrying the sense of 'attentive care.' The business term due diligence dates from the 16th century and was established in modern corporate law by the US Securities Act of 1933.