1 stringent | Definition of stringent
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

stringent

adjective
strinĀ·​gent | \ Ėˆstrin-jənt How to pronounce stringent (audio) \

Definition of stringent

1 : tight, constricted
2 : marked by rigor, strictness, or severity especially with regard to rule or standard stringent decontamination procedures
3 : marked by money scarcity and credit strictness a stringent budget
Other Words from stringent Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym How Should You Use stringent? More Example Sentences Learn More about stringent

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from stringent

stringently adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for stringent

rigid, rigorous, strict, stringent mean extremely severe or stern. rigid implies uncompromising inflexibility. rigid rules of conduct rigorous implies the imposition of hardship and difficulty. the rigorous training of recruits strict emphasizes undeviating conformity to rules, standards, or requirements. strict enforcement of the law stringent suggests severe, tight restriction or limitation. stringent standards of admission

How Should You Use stringent?

Words that are synonymous with stringent include rigid, which implies uncompromising inflexibility ("rigid rules of conduct"), and rigorous, which suggests hardship and difficulty ("the rigorous training of firefighters"). Also closely related is strict, which emphasizes undeviating conformity to rules, standards, or requirements ("strict enforcement of the law"). Stringent usually involves severe, tight restrictions or limitations ("the college has stringent admissions rules"). That's logical. After all, rigorous and rigid are both derived from rigēre, the Latin word meaning "to be stiff," and stringent and strict developed from the Latin verb stringere, meaning "to bind tight."

Examples of stringent in a Sentence

stringent rules against unauthorized persons being in the building

Recent Examples on the Web

 We were guided by recommendations from the Commission on College Basketball ā€” which spoke with the agent and advisor community ā€” that the NCAA certification process should be more stringent than current processes. — Stephen Means, cleveland.com, "NCAA wont implement football injury reports this season: Buckeye Breakfast," 8 Aug. 2019 To highlight this, Buffalo emphasizes deep dropbacks and downfield route combinations, where demands on timing and rhythm are less stringent and completions have large payouts. — Andy Benoit, SI.com, "Behind a Re-stocked Offensive Line, Billsā€™ Ground Game Is Primed to Take Off," 7 Aug. 2019 But these are less stringent than those for crimes committed against women, which effectively renders transgender people as second-class citizens. — Anish Gawande, Quartz India, "Transgender citizens: The other ā€œintegral part of Indiaā€ that may have been shortchanged by its parliament," 6 Aug. 2019 That is particularly true in places where local governments might try to set standards that are less stringent than existing state law, officials with the COGCC said. — Joe Rubino, The Denver Post, "Colorado oil and gas regulators tell Weld County the state still has authority over where wells can go," 22 July 2019 And Margot, though very free in her view of sexuality, can be a bit morally stringent. — Mary Gaitskill, The New Yorker, "This Is Pleasure," 8 July 2019 Much of what Facebook is proposing is subject to stringent government oversight, and the authorities arenā€™t likely to give it up. — Michael Hiltzik, latimes.com, "You donā€™t trust Facebook to protect your privacy. Why trust it as a banker?," 21 June 2019 Technology companies have warmed to a national privacy law as the implementation of the California law approaches, hoping a federal rule would be less stringent and provide a sole set of guidelines. — Lindsay Wise, WSJ, "House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy Wants a Data-Privacy Law," 20 June 2019 Democrats are also demanding more stringent oversight of charter schools, which can operate like private schools, tend to be non-union and have proliferated in big cities such as Oakland and Los Angeles. — Laurel Rosenhall, The Mercury News, "California just passed a $215 billion budget. Hereā€™s whatā€™s between the lines.," 14 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stringent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of stringent

1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for stringent

Latin stringent-, stringens, present participle of stringere

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for stringent

stringent

adjective
How to pronounce stringent (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of stringent

: very strict or severe

See the full definition for stringent in the English Language Learners Dictionary

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on stringent

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stringent

Spanish Central: Translation of stringent

Nglish: Translation of stringent for Spanish Speakers

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!