Vigor means physical strength, energy, and enthusiasm. When someone attacks a task with vigor, they bring intense effort and liveliness to it. A person running with vigor moves powerfully and energetically, not lazily or halfheartedly.

The word suggests active and forceful use of energy. A teacher might tell students to pursue their goals with vigor, meaning to go after them with determination and spirit. A debate team that argues with vigor makes their case with conviction and force, presenting their points powerfully.

You can see vigor in a basketball player who dives for every loose ball, in a scientist who eagerly tackles a challenging problem, or in a writer who fills the page with lively, powerful prose.

When something happens with renewed vigor, it means fresh energy has been applied to it. After a water break, soccer players might return to the field with renewed vigor, playing harder than before. Vigor combines physical strength with mental determination, a quality that makes someone not just able but truly alive with purpose and drive.