# diligence

/ˈdɪɫədʒəns/ (US) · /dˈɪlɪdʒəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/diligence
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. hard work and effort

noun · CEFR B2

careful and persistent work or effort.

For teachers: steady, earnest, and energetic effort; the quality of being industrious and hardworking over a sustained period.

- Through hard work and diligence, she eventually became the manager of the company.
- The student's academic success was a direct result of her diligence, as she spent every evening reviewing her notes and refining her research.

### 2. carefulness and attention

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

the care that you should take when doing a job or looking into something.

For teachers: the attention and care legally or ethically required of a person, especially in a professional or contractual context.

- The lawyer performed due diligence to make sure the contract was safe to sign.
- The firm failed to exercise proper diligence in vetting the supplier, leading to a significant breach of safety protocols and subsequent legal action.

Usage: Often appears in the fixed phrase 'due diligence'.

### 3. a stagecoach

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a large horse-drawn carriage used for public transport in the past.

For teachers: a public stagecoach, particularly a four-wheeled vehicle used in France and other parts of Europe before the advent of railways.

- The travellers spent three uncomfortable days on the diligence as it crossed the mountains.
- Before the expansion of the rail network, the diligence remained the primary mode of long-distance transport for the middle classes across the continent.

## Examples

- Her diligence helped her finish the report early.
- The accountant's diligence prevented costly errors in the annual financial audit.
- It was not talent alone but a quiet, relentless diligence that allowed the architect to refine the design until every detail was perfect.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.