adj. 1. Imposing rigorous standards of performance; severe: stringent safety measures. 2. Constricted; tight: operating under a stringent time limit. 3. Characterized by scarcity of money, credit restrictions, or other financial strain: stringent economic policies. [Latin stringēns, stringent-, present participle of stringere, to draw tight; see streig- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] stringen·cy n. stringent·ly adv. |
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