stringent

Universal Words adjective (formal) 1 (of a law, rule, regulation, etc.) very strict and that must be obeyed: stringent air quality regulations * Licences are only granted under the most stringent conditions. 2 (of financial conditions) difficult and very strictly controlled because there is not much money: the government's stringent economic policies stringency noun [U]: a period of financial stringency stringently adverb: The rules are stringently enforced.