vigilante

noun

vig·​i·​lan·​te ˌvi-jə-ˈlan-tē 

: a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily (as when the processes of law are viewed as inadequate)

broadly : a self-appointed doer of justice

vigilantism

ˌvi-jə-ˈlan-ˌti-zəm 

noun

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The Meaning and Origin of Vigilante

Vigilante entered English in the 19th century, borrowed from the Spanish word of the same spelling which meant “watchman, guard” in that language. The Spanish word can be traced back to the Latin vigilare, meaning “to keep awake.” The earliest use of the word in English was to refer to a member of a vigilance committee, a committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily, as when the processes of law appear inadequate. The word may often be found in an attributive role, as in the phrases “vigilante justice,” or “vigilante group.” In this slightly broadened sense it carries the suggestion of the enforcement of laws without regard to due process or the general rule of law.

Synonyms

• avenger
• castigator
• chastiser
• nemesis
• punisher
• scourge

Examples of vigilante in a Sentence

the danger of these self-appointed vigilantes is that they sometimes go after innocent people

Recent Examples on the Web

Appealing to the outside world is a tall order for a place so famously reclusive that, for years, a vigilante band called the Bolinas Border Patrol stole road signs on Highway 1 directing travelers into town. —Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2024

Charles Bronson stars as Paul Kersey, a pacifist architect who transforms into a ruthless vigilante when his wife is murdered and his daughter is raped in a home invasion. —EW.com, 31 May 2024

Bolinas is so famously opposed to outsiders that, for years, a vigilante band called the Bolinas Border Patrol cut down road signs on Highway 1 that pointed the way into town. —Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2024

Members would wear white caps and disguises while doling out their vigilante justice, which included tar and feathering, whipping, arson and drowning. —Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 15 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, watchman, guard, from vigilante vigilant, from Latin vigilant-, vigilans

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

vigilante

noun

vig·​i·​lan·​te ˌvij-ə-ˈlant-ē 

: a member of a group of volunteers who decide on their own to stop crime and to punish criminals