sedulous

American  

[sej-uh-luhs] / ˈsɛdʒ ə ləs /

adjective

1. diligent in application or attention; persevering; assiduous.

   Synonyms:

   tireless, constant

2. persistently or carefully maintained.

   sedulous flattery.

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sedulous British  

/ sɪˈdjuːlɪtɪ, ˈsɛdjʊləs /

adjective

1. constant or persistent in use or attention; assiduous; diligent

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Other Word Forms

• sedulity noun
• sedulously adverb
• sedulousness noun
• unsedulous adjective
• unsedulously adverb
• unsedulousness noun

Etymology

Origin of sedulous

1530–40; < Latin sēdulus, adj. derivative of the phrase sē dolō diligently, literally, without guile; replacing sedulious ( sedulity, -ous )

Explanation

A sedulous person is someone who works hard and doesn't give up easily. If you make repeated and sedulous attempts to fix a leaky pipe and it only makes things worse, it might be time to go online and find the number of a plumber. There are a couple of words that basically mean the same thing as sedulous but are a little more common, namely assiduous, painstaking, and diligent. Like sedulous, all of these adjectives can be turned into adverbs by adding the suffix ly: "He assiduously tried to fix the pipe, but to no avail."

Example Sentences

However, the NFL was undeterred, arrogant as usual and, most of all, sedulous in its planning.

From Washington Post • Sep. 12, 2020

The same refreshing sense of dorkiness that blew me straight back to eighth grade while watching it may be inseparable from the sedulous faithfulness to the text that makes this adaptation somewhat awkward.

From Slate • May 31, 2019

In his own right he remains one of jazz’s more sedulous bandleaders, and later this year, he’ll release a new album with his Captain Black Big Band.

From New York Times • Jul. 26, 2018

Even in the most amicable of arrangements, when all the ostensible needs are met, and everyone is healthy and clear-headed, it's nearly impossible to harness the sedulous nuances of adoption.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2018

It had been her care which provided me a companion in Clerval—and yet a man is blind to a thousand minute circumstances which call forth a woman’s sedulous attention.

From "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley