adverb C2 Proficient Uncommon

diligently

DIH-lihjnt-lee

Diligently (adverb) means in a careful, hard-working way, with steady effort and attention. Example: “She studied diligently every night before the exam.”

adverb

In a careful, hard-working way, with steady effort and attention.

"She studied diligently every night before the exam."

"The team worked diligently to fix the bug before launch."

How to Use Diligently

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDoing something carefully and consistently, without cutting corners.

Common pairings

work diligently study diligently diligently pursue

Word Forms

more diligently comparative, most diligently superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “diligently” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

She studied _____ every night before the exam.

Etymology

From "diligent" plus the adverb-forming suffix "-ly".

Rhymes for diligently

gently recently fluently urgently silently intently patently decently currently fervently patiently evidently

See all rhymes for diligently →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “diligently” mean?

The word “diligently” means in a careful, hard-working way, with steady effort and attention. In plain terms, doing something carefully and consistently, without cutting corners.

How do you pronounce “diligently”?

“Diligently” is pronounced DIH-lihjnt-lee (/ˈdɪləd͡ʒən(t)li/ in IPA).

How do you use “diligently” in a sentence?

Here is “diligently” used in a sentence: “She studied diligently every night before the exam.”

What part of speech is “diligently”?

“Diligently” is an adverb.

Is “diligently” a common word?

“Diligently” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.