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

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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

But whatever the merits of that forbearance, Brussels seemed determined, in the age of Trump and Brexit, to be more vigilant. — The Economist, "Breaking point: December 2020," 5 July 2018 But also important for lowering your risk is staying vigilant about any suspicious spots. — Macaela Mackenzie, Allure, "Skin Cancer: A Visual Guide to Identifying Warning Signs on Your Body," 2 July 2018 Still, Jackson said parents and medical providers should stay vigilant. — Andy Marso, kansascity, "Kansas City reaches important milestone in its two measles outbreaks | The Kansas City Star," 11 May 2018 Donald Trump, and to stay vigilant in rejecting his lies, cruelty, and affronts to the institutions that define the US system of government. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "Donald Trump, the resistance, and the limits of normcore politics," 3 July 2018 While consumers of information must be vigilant and remain critical when taking in public messages today, tech leaders must develop sophisticated but easy-to-use tools for average message consumers to be able to see doctored content. — Catherine F. Brooks, WIRED, "Faked Video Could End Justice by Twitter Mob," 18 June 2018 On Saturday, workers at the pond were vigilant about safety. — Jeremy C. Fox, Amelia Nierenberg, BostonGlobe.com, "State officials, families alarmed by spate of drowning deaths," 8 July 2018 None of this would matter if institutions hiring academics were appropriately vigilant about checking candidates’ publication histories against blacklists, and similarly inquisitive about the publications of those already employed. — The Economist, "Some science journals that claim to peer review papers do not do so," 21 June 2018 Laura Paine, the company's public and analyst relations manager, said that many agencies are still developing their applications with older programming languages known to be vulnerable and that many of them aren't vigilant about addressing flaws. — Alex Johnson /, NBC News, "Trump eliminates job of national cybersecurity coordinator," 16 May 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.

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Last Updated

8 Nov 2018

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Time Traveler for vigilant

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

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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