vigilant

adjective

vig·i·lant | \ ˈvi-jə-lənt

Definition of vigilant

: alertly watchful especially to avoid danger

Other Words from vigilant Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about vigilant

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms & Antonyms for vigilant

Synonyms

alert, Argus-eyed, attentive, awake, observant, open-eyed, tenty (also tentie) [Scottish], watchful, wide-awake

Antonyms

asleep

Choose the Right Synonym for vigilant

watchful, vigilant, wide-awake, alert mean being on the lookout especially for danger or opportunity. watchful is the least explicit term. the watchful eye of the department supervisor vigilant suggests intense, unremitting, wary watchfulness. eternally vigilant in the safeguarding of democracy wide-awake applies to watchfulness for opportunities and developments more often than dangers. wide-awake companies latched onto the new technology alert stresses readiness or promptness in meeting danger or in seizing opportunity. alert traders anticipated the stock market's slide

Examples of vigilant in a Sentence

Over the years, as tension between pitchers and hit batsmen heightened to the point that hitters began rushing the mound, umpires have had to become far more vigilant about keeping the game from degenerating into a dogfight. — Buzz Bissinger, Sports Illustrated, 21 Mar. 2005 At the Château de Wideville's magnificent seventeenth-century gates, guests have their names ticked off by vigilant staff and then snake through a lugubrious park à l'anglaise. — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, September 2002 And as a foreign tourist in North Korea, under the care of vigilant minders who wanted me to see only the best, I had enjoyed the finest fare available. — Christopher Hitchens, Vanity Fair, January 2001 A vigilant hand had, as usual, kept the fire alive and the lamp trimmed; and the room, with its rows and rows of books, its bronze and steel statuettes of "The Fencers" on the mantelpiece and its many photographs of famous pictures, looked singularly home-like and welcoming. — Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence, 1920 When traveling through the city, tourists should be extra vigilant. They were vigilant about protecting their children. We remain vigilant against theft.

Recent Examples on the Web

Lesson 5: anecdotes that instill fear of outsiders are much, much stickier than facts and figures Our brains are built to be vigilant. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "8 lessons from psychology that explain Trump’s caravan fearmongering," 2 Nov. 2018 If anything, airlines and regulators will be even more vigilant, as more than 4,000 737 Max 8s are on the order books. — Barbara Peterson, Condé Nast Traveler, "The FAA, Boeing Issue Alerts for 737 Max 8 Planes After Lion Air Crash," 9 Nov. 2018 The short of it: AIA believes schools need a combination of approaches to ensure students remain safe while learning and that classrooms can be open and nurturing while remaining secure and vigilant. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "AIA outlines its approach to shaping safe school design," 16 Aug. 2018 Gerwig urged concerned residents to check for any unauthorized purchases on their credit cards and to remain vigilant, as credit card information may have been taken but not used yet. — Austen Erblat, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Wellington data breach affects more departments serving residents," 15 June 2018 School officials are also forced to become increasingly vigilant, like Timber Creek High School Principal Kasha Giddins. — Thomas Leavy, CBS News, "New Jersey police warn parents about THC drug-laced vape pens," 1 June 2018 The local préfet has encouraged police to be more vigilant and on the move, festival representatives told USA TODAY. — Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY, "'Vigilant' security at Cannes Film Festival after the Paris knife attack," 13 May 2018 Whatever spirit was imbued in those cemetery crosses had to be ever vigilant. — Margot Dougherty, WSJ, "In Ireland, a Getaway Far, Far Away," 6 Nov. 2018 And those are times and snapshots that enforcers need to be really vigilant. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "Full Q&A: Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim talks antitrust on Recode Decode," 1 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vigilant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about vigilant

Dictionary Entries near vigilant

Statistics for vigilant

Last Updated

20 Dec 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for vigilant

The first known use of vigilant was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for vigilant

vigilant

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of vigilant

: carefully noticing problems or signs of danger

See the full definition for vigilant in the English Language Learners Dictionary

vigilant

adjective

vig·i·lant | \ ˈvi-jə-lənt

Kids Definition of vigilant

: alert especially to avoid danger … he was constantly vigilant, looking for the next nearest hiding place should the sound of engines come.— Lois Lowry, The Giver