due diligence

due diligence
noun
1
law : the care that a reasonable person exercises to avoid harm to other persons or their property
failed to exercise due diligence in trying to prevent the accident
2
business : research and analysis of a company or organization done in preparation for a business transaction (such as a corporate merger or purchase of securities)


Did you know?
Doing Your Due Diligence

Due diligence has been used since at least the mid-fifteenth century in the literal sense “requisite effort.” Centuries later, the phrase developed a legal meaning, namely, “the care that a reasonable person takes to avoid harm to other persons or their property”; in this sense, it is synonymous with another legal term, ordinary care. More recently, due diligence has extended its reach into business contexts, signifying the research a company performs before engaging in a financial transaction. This meaning may also apply to individuals: people are often advised to perform their due diligence before buying a house, signing a loan, or making any important purchase.

Examples of due diligence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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See If The Podcast Naturally Brings Up Your Brand Always perform your due diligence and see if the podcast ever naturally brings up your brand or product.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
By enabling GPs to access and reuse information easily, subject matter experts can provide higher-quality responses to due diligence questionnaires.
—Ryan Lawler, Axios, 5 Dec. 2024
Vet Everyone: Before entering any business relationship, do your due diligence.
—Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2024
So, dear traveler, take some inspiration for this list, do your own due diligence, and see the world.
—Charlie Hobbs, Cond; Nast Traveler, 15 Nov. 2024

Word History
First Known Use
1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of due diligence was in 1598
See more words from the same year
Dictionary Entries Near due diligence
due date

due diligence

due for