vicarious
adjective
və- \
Definition of vicarious
1 : experienced or realized through imaginative or sympathetic participation in the experience of another a vicarious thrill
2a : serving instead of someone or something else
b : that has been delegated vicarious authority
3 : performed or suffered by one person as a substitute for another or to the benefit or advantage of another : substitutionary a vicarious sacrifice
4 : occurring in an unexpected or abnormal part of the body instead of the usual one vicarious menstruation manifested by bleeding from the nose
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Examples of vicarious in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But the show was just as much a fashion romance, an onscreen paper-doll fantasy, inviting viewers to take vicarious pleasure in the characters’ elaborate dress-up games as styled by costumer Patricia Field. — Rhonda Garelick, The Cut, "Carrie Bradshaw’s Tutu Paradox," 1 June 2018 This phenomenon, known as vicarious trauma, is well known to therapists, first responders, social service workers, journalists, and other professionals whose jobs require empathically interacting with trauma survivors or handling uncensored media. — Alexander Tsai, STAT, "When police officers kill unarmed blacks, it affects blacks’ mental health across the country," 27 June 2018 To see this woman—this nearly unassailable force of nature—be wronged so deeply was jarring, a vicarious blow that caused visceral pain for countless fans. — Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, "Do Beyoncé Fans Have to Forgive Jay-Z?," 18 June 2018 Theatergoers are rewarded for their vicarious pains not with a fairy tale ending but with a clarification of what redeems us as human beings. — Charles Mcnulty, latimes.com, "The women of 'A Thousand Splendid Suns,' casting a spell onstage," 5 June 2018 Through centuries of exile, Jews never stopped longing for this land, maintaining a vicarious presence in our prayers and celebrations. — Yossi Klein Halevi, WSJ, "Israelis, Palestinians and the Necessary Injustice of Partition," 13 Apr. 2018 As of late, an adorable and sometimes shocking and hilarious trend has given people the giggles and vicarious thrills of becoming a new pet parent. — Saryn Chorney, PEOPLE.com, "Woman's Gender Reveal Trick Photo Shoot Surprises with Something Even Sweeter: New Puppy Pictures!," 24 May 2018 Even for teens who aren’t already living with mental health strains, vicarious trauma can take a toll. — Claire Lampen, Teen Vogue, "Living In Fear of Mass Shootings Is Giving Students PTSD," 24 May 2018 As the Association of American Colleges and Universities has stressed repeatedly, liberal education matters to democracy — and not just as a preparation for vicarious and episodic citizenship, but also as democratic participation itself. — Valerie Strauss, Washington Post, "Can liberal education survive at a scandal-plagued university? A professor explains why it must.," 1 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vicarious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for vicarious
vicarious
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of vicarious
: experienced or felt by watching, hearing about, or reading about someone else rather than by doing something yourself
See the full definition for vicarious in the English Language Learners Dictionary
vicarious
adjective
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Kids Definition of vicarious
: sharing in someone else's experiences through the use of imagination or sympathetic feelings She got vicarious enjoyment from her sister's travels.
vicarious
adjective
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Medical Definition of vicarious
: occurring in an unexpected or abnormal part of the body instead of the usual one bleeding from the gums sometimes occurs in the absence of the normal discharge from the uterus in vicarious menstruation
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vicarious
adjective
\
Legal Definition of vicarious
: imposed on one person in place of another — see also vicarious liability at liability sense 2b
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