vigil

noun

vig·​il ˈvi-jəl 

1

: the act of keeping awake at times when sleep is customary

also : a period of wakefulness

2

: an event or a period of time when a person or group stays in a place and quietly waits, prays, etc., especially at night

a candlelight vigil

kept vigil at her bedside

3

a

: a watch formerly kept on the night before a religious feast with prayer or other devotions

b

: the day before a religious feast observed as a day of spiritual preparation

c

: evening or nocturnal devotions or prayers

—usually used in plural

Synonyms

• lookout
• surveillance
• watch

Examples of vigil in a Sentence

kept vigil at their ailing son's bedside the entire time he was in the hospital

Recent Examples on the Web

His classmates held a vigil for him on Tuesday night. —Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2025

San Francisco was reeling from the AIDS epidemic and during the visit, the pope was met with activists holding protest signs and participating in candlelight processions and prayer vigils, hoping to enact change. —Shantel Guzman, CBS News, 6 May 2025

Nichols’ death reverberated in Sacramento, where family members and community activists have held vigils and called for justice. —Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2025

Survivors and community members at Florida State University came together to grieve and support each other at a vigil that drew thousands after two people were killed and more were injured in an April 17 campus shooting. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vigile, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin vigilia watch on the eve of a feast, from Latin, wakefulness, watch, from vigil awake, watchful; akin to Latin vigēre to be vigorous, vegēre to enliven — more at wake

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Phrases Containing vigil

• keep vigil
• vigil light

Kids Definition

vigil

noun

vig·​il ˈvij-əl 

1

a

: the day before a religious feast

b

: prayers or religious services held in the evening or at night

—usually used in plural

2

: an act or period of staying awake at times when one normally would be sleeping

an all-night vigil spent awaiting her return

3

: an act or period of attentive watching : watch

kept vigil at the bedside of his ill son