vigilante

noun vig·i·lan·te \ ˌvi-jə-ˈlan-tē \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Editor's Note: The Meaning and Origin of vigilante

Definition of vigilante

: 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

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vigilantism

play \ˌvi-jə-ˈlan-ˌti-zəm\ noun

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Examples of vigilante in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of vigilante from the Web

This won’t be simple; there’s nothing like an outstanding $10,000 to transform a calm, composed adult into an earth-scorching vigilante who scours the internet for solutions at 3 a.m.

— charlotte cowles, The Cut, "My Ex Boyfriend Owes Me $10,000. How Do I Get Him to Pay Me Back?," 7 June 2018
The rest of the plot is driven by a shadowy cabal of feminist vigilantes who, among other things, target and assassinate rapists while dressed as crones.

— sonia saraiya, HWD, "ACCESS IS EVERYTHING," 5 June 2018
Their mother, Rebecca, feared if her sons became conscientious objectors, they might be lynched by vigilantes.

— special to the oregonian, OregonLive.com, "Memorial Day 2018: Remembering two peace-loving Oregon boys who died in France," 28 May 2018
Not far from where the vigilantes were mustered stood the Khairabad slaughterhouse, its brick floor grooved to drain away blood.

— New York Times, "Killer Dogs Take 14 Lives. Did Closing Slaughterhouses Play a Role?," 22 May 2018
Curious reporters and angry vigilantes hounded his family, and a Facebook group dedicated to finding him was inundated with messages calling him a terrorist.

— jay willis, GQ, "Racist Lawyer Aaron Schlossberg Did This All to Himself," 19 May 2018
In the Archie comics, the Black Hood is much more an urban vigilante.

— amy mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Mystery of the Riverdale Black Hood Keeps Getting More Confusing," 22 Apr. 2018
Tuesday, May 20, 1913 One year after being run out of the city by vigilantes at the climax of the free speech riots of 1912, anarchist leader Emma Goldman again attempted to visit San Diego.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, "May 20, 1913: Emma Goldman returns," 20 May 2018
Sessions was born in Barbary Coast-era San Francisco, amongst the gold speculators and vigilantes.

— brittany martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "The History of Those Beautiful Jacaranda Trees in Bloom Around L.A.," 15 May 2018

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

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.