Vigorous — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Vigorous (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. having active strength of body or mind

   "he remains healthy and vigorous despite being over 80 years old"

   similar: dynamic, energetic, flush, gingery, lusty, peppy, red-blooded, robust, vital
   related: animated, brisk, dashing, kinetic, lively, punchy, spirited, sprightly, vivacious, energized, enlivened, invigorated, vitalized, firm, fortified, mettlesome, mighty, powerful, puissant, strong, refreshed, rejuvenated, revitalized, able-bodied, athletic, beefy, brawny, burly, fit, hardy, husky, muscular, robustious, rugged, stalwart, stout, strapping, sturdy, tough, virile, hale, healthy, hearty, sound, capable, competent
   opposite: dull, lethargic, listless, sluggish, torpid
   near: delicate, effete, enervated, faint, feeble, frail, infirm, wan, weak, weakened, impotent, powerless, prostrate, prostrated, sapped, tired, indolent, lackadaisical, languid, lazy, invertebrate, nerveless, soft, spineless, wimpy, ill, unhealthy, unsound, unwell, broken-down, debilitated, decrepit, disabled, wasted, worn-out

2. able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure

   "vigorous and sturdy little sheep bred to live in mountainous regions"

   similar: cast-iron, hard, hard-bitten, hardened, hardy, inured, rugged, stout, strong, sturdy, tough, toughened
   related: flinty, leathery, resilient, stalwart, durable, enduring, everlasting, immortal, imperishable, lasting, permanent, stable, staunch, staying, tenacious, unyielding, flourishing, prospering, thriving, able-bodied, brawny, muscular, fit, fortified, hale, healthy, husky, lusty, red-blooded, robust, sound, strapping, virile, annealed, seasoned, tempered
   opposite: delicate, nonhardy, soft, tender, weak
   near: emasculated, enervated, enfeebled, exhausted, run-down, sapped, wasted, weakened, worn, worn-out, crippled, debilitated, diseased, incapacitated, infirm, unsound, fragile, frail, puny, resistless, sensitive, susceptible, unresistant, vulnerable, yielding, mortal, perishable, temporary, transient

3. marked by or uttered with forcefulness

   "offered a vigorous dissent to the proposal"

   similar: aggressive, assertive, dynamic, emphatic, energetic, forceful, full-blooded, muscular, resounding, strenuous, vehement, violent
   related: decided, insistent, marked, pointed, absolute, categorical, clear, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal, arresting, compelling, conspicuous, impelling, noticeable, striking
   opposite: nonassertive, nonemphatic, unemphatic
   near: guarded, mild, uncompelling, weak, wishy-washy, ambiguous, equivocal, halting, hesitant, understated

4. not showing weakness or uncertainty

   "gave the bottle of sauce a vigorous shaking"

   similar: firm, forceful, hearty, iron, lusty, robust, solid, stout, strong, sturdy
   related: hard, ironclad, mighty, powerful, tough, unyielding, animated, brisk, energetic, frisky, jaunty, jazzy, lively, peppy, perky, spirited, sprightful, sprightly, springy, vital, vivacious, zippy, assured, certain, confident, sanguine, secure, sure
   opposite: uncertain, weak
   near: feeble, fragile, frail, limp, listless, spiritless, diffident, insecure, self-doubting, characterless, effete, spineless, weakened, weak-kneed, wimpy, wishy-washy