1
as in hardship
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal
hard-bitten folk who survived many rigors on the way to the promised land
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in severity
the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)
after being coddled by his former coach, the swimmer was shocked by the rigor of the new training program
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in accuracy
the quality or state of being very accurate
said that she had heard that excuse a million times, but then she was never known for the rigor of her calculations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rigor
While stars and filmmakers this season tried to cope candidly with questioners, their impact was nonetheless inhibited by the rigors of Oscar rules.
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Peter Bart, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
Letting that loss linger and turn into back-to-back losses would have been a bad sign about Buffalo’s ability to handle the rigors of what is going to be a white-knuckle playoff race in the Eastern Conference.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
That level of rigor and transparency was not part of this decision.
—Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Opus Dei, which is rooted in pre-Vatican II ritual and rigor, had flourished in Franco’s Spain, establishing a business school at the University of Navarra, in Pamplona, whose graduates gained power in finance and government.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rigor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rigor
Noun
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Merriam-Webster defines it as the description of someone or something in a state of possibly irreversible misfortune and hardship.—
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Among community theaters forced to close due to financial hardships was the nearby Artisan Center Theater in Hurst.—
Noun
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Those who break the rules are hit with fines depending on the severity of the infraction.—
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So consider the size and severity of scratches and markings, as well as the item's price.—
Noun
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Motorola built the camera system around Sony’s LYTIA sensor to improve brightness and color accuracy.—
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For decades, the program was known for a rigorous scientific review and inspection process to ensure accuracy.—
Noun
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Their study on the jagged frontier shows that AI capability spikes and dips across activities rather than rising smoothly with difficulty.—
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Symptoms include breathing difficulties, fatigue and loss of taste.—
Noun
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Data centres and automation are raising requirements for power, connectivity, and operational precision.—
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Players use it for precision drills and reaction training.—
Noun
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And perfection was never my thing.—
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California has never been about perfection.—
Cite this Entry
“Rigor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rigor. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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