The Meaning of Diligence: What It Is and How To Use It

The word diligence requires real diligence to memorize. This guide will help you learn all about the word diligence and how to use it.

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What Does the Word Diligence Mean?

The word diligence is a noun that means proper attention and care, as well as a careful or steady application. This can be used literally or figuratively. Diligence is three syllables — di-li-gence, and the pronunciation of diligence is ˈdɪlɪdʒəns. 

The adjective form of diligence is diligent. If someone is diligent, they are wary and have perseverance, completing their tasks with earnest effort or steady effort. You might hear the word diligence in the phrase due diligence.  

In the 19th century, the word diligence was used as a noun to refer to a public stagecoach that is pulled by horses and captained by a man with a whip. Now, this term is only used in European countries like France and Great Britain. In French, this is referred to as a carosse de diligence, which translates to coach of speed.

What Are Translations of the Word Diligence?

Diligence is not just a word that can be discussed in American English and British English. This word can be used worldwide in order to describe persistence and earnest effort. However, many languages contain their own translations for the word diligence. 

This list of translations of the word diligence from Word Sense is an excellent place to begin learning how to say diligence in numerous different languages. Learning how to say the word diligence in languages besides English can be very helpful if you are going to be traveling to a new place where they do not speak English. 

  • Welsh: diwydrwydd‎ (masc.)
  • Swedish: ihärdighet‎ (common), flit‎ (common)
  • Hungarian: szorgalom‎
  • Turkish: çalışkanlık‎, hamaratlık‎, özen‎, sebat‎
  • German: Fleiß‎ (masc.), Eifer‎ (masc.)
  • Bokmål: iherdighet‎ (masc.) (f)
  • Mandarin: 勤奮‎, 勤奋‎ (qínfèn), 用功‎ (yònggōng)
  • Japanese: 精励‎ (せいれい, seirei)
  • Finnish: ahkeruus‎
  • French: diligence‎ (fem.)
  • Portuguese: diligência‎ (fem.)
  • Greek: προκοπή‎ (fem.)
  • Catalan: diligència‎ (fem.)
  • Spanish: esmero‎ (masc.), diligencia‎ (fem.)
  • Russian: усе́рдие‎ (neut.), стара́тельность‎ (fem.), прилежа́ние‎ (neut.), стара́ние‎ (neut.), трудолю́бие‎ (neut.)
  • Luxembourgish: Fläiss‎ (masc.)
  • Norwegian: flid‎ (masc.)
  • Romanian: sârguință‎ (fem.), diligență‎ (fem.)
  • Czech: píle‎ (fem.)
  • Bulgarian: стара́ние‎ (neut.), прилежа́ние‎ (neut.)
  • Korean: 근면‎, 열심‎
  • Dutch: toewijding‎ (fem.), vasthoudendheid‎ (fem.)

What Is the Etymology and Origin of Diligence?

The word diligence has been used since the year 1300, as the ​Middle English deligence. This word is of Anglo-French origins from the Old French diligence. Diligence comes from the Latin dīligentia/Latin diligentia. This word is equivalent to the Latin ​dīligent and ​dīligēns, which come from Indo-European roots. 

How Can the Word Diligence Be Used in a Sentence?

The word diligence is a noun that can be used as a subject or object in many different sentences in the English language. If you are going to use the word diligence in a sentence, make sure that you are abundantly clear on its definition so that you do not misuse it. To see examples of how the word diligence can be used in a sentence, take a look at the example sentences below. 

They made sure to keep their diligence during the acquisition and merger. It was a big undertaking, and they did not want their financial statements to suffer. 

She made sure to have caution and diligence in the given situation; a gross lack of due diligence could lead to her blog site in the smart technologies market being shut down in Scotland due to the search engines’ digital supply chain.

The investor did his due diligence so that the dealers and brokers of the stocks did not lose him money. He carefully studied his competitors, ratios, trends, and earnings in order to maximize his assets.

Because the production of writings had an attendance of witnesses, they took a diligent degree of care to make sure the entity could not be plagiarized.

The straw seller took diligence with each handcrafted item. He made sure that he never gave in to the vice of sloth and continued to make well-crafted straws.

What Are Synonyms of the Word Diligence?

If you have used the word diligence numerous times and are looking for a different word that can spice up your sentences, look no further than this list of synonyms. Synonyms are useful for a variety of different reasons, including varying the words that you use in sentences. Synonyms can also be used to find words that have a different connotation or as a quick, simple way to expand your current vocabulary. 

  • application
  • applications
  • assiduity
  • assiduousness
  • attention
  • attentiveness
  • busyness
  • care
  • industry
  • intentness
  • laboriousness
  • meticulousness
  • pains
  • patience
  • perseverance
  • persistence
  • pertinacity
  • resolution
  • resolve
  • sedulity
  • sedulousness
  • stagecoach
  • stamina
  • steadfastness
  • stick-to-itiveness
  • studiousness
  • tenacity
  • thoroughness
  • tirelessness
  • zeal

What Are Antonyms of the Word Diligence?

The word diligence also has numerous different words that have opposite definitions. These words are called antonyms, which can help clarify the meaning of a word. If you know the opposite of a word, it can help you understand what the meaning of a certain word is. Learning antonyms is also an excellent way to grow your knowledge of English words.

  • absent-mindedness
  • abstraction
  • aloofness
  • apathy
  • bad memory
  • boredom
  • boredom with
  • callousness
  • carelessness
  • carelessness of
  • casual attitude
  • coldness
  • coolness
  • daydreaming
  • delinquency
  • detachment
  • disinterest
  • disinterestedness
  • dismissiveness of
  • dispassion
  • dispassionateness
  • dispiritedness
  • disregard
  • distance
  • distractedness
  • eye service
  • foolishness
  • heedlessness
  • neglect
  • negligence
  • sloth
  • unconcern

Overall, diligence means attentive care or persistent effort. This noun is often used in the phrase due diligence. The word diligent also has an adjective form, which is diligence. 

Sources:

Sources:

  1. Diligence synonyms – 656 Words and Phrases for Diligence | Power Thesaurus 
  2. Diligence antonyms – 146 Opposites of Diligence | Power Thesaurus 
  3. Diligence Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com 
  4. Diligence Meaning | Best 14 Definitions of Diligence | Your Dictionary 
  5. diligence: meaning, origin, translation | WordSense Dictionary 
  6. Diligence definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary