vivid

play

adjective viv·id \ˈvi-vəd\

Definition of vivid

1 of a color : very strong : very high in chroma
2 : having the appearance of vigorous life or freshness : lively a vivid sketch
3 : producing a strong or clear impression on the senses : sharp, intense; specifically : producing distinct mental images a vivid description
4 : acting clearly and vigorously a vivid imagination

vividly

adverb

vividness

noun

See vivid defined for English-language learners

See vivid defined for kids

Examples of vivid in a Sentence

He gave a vivid description of the scene.
The book includes many vivid illustrations.
The dream was very vivid.
She could remember the dream in vivid detail.
The fabric was dyed a vivid red.

Recent Examples of vivid from the Web

The 2015 Dauphin Island Race disaster that killed six sailors on Mobile Bay has been revisited in a vivid, in-depth story in Smithsonian Magazine.

— lawrence specker, AL.com, "Smithsonian magazine spotlights 2015 Dauphin Island Race disaster," 5 July 2017
The result was a vivid album both thematically and lyrically.

— matt miller, Esquire, "Jay-Z Reminds Us Who He Really Is on 4:44," 30 June 2017
The opera unfolds in 13 scenes over two acts to a vivid libretto by Hilary Blecher and Migdalia Cruz.

— janelle gelfand, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Opera’s ‘Frida’ tinged with emotion, fiery spirit," 24 June 2017
With memories still too vivid, James Phillips isn’t interested in revisiting his old neighborhood.

— Washington Post, "Memorial, parks honor victims of 2016 West Virginia floods," 18 June 2017
Lines like those show how Lorde excels at creating vignettes within songs, mini-moments that risk dampening a track’s propulsion but end up making the big picture more vivid.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Lorde Is Older But Somehow Less Jaded," 16 June 2017
Avery still has vivid memories of coming back to win the second and third games of best-of-three series during Martin’s most recent run to state in 2015.

— mark wright, star-telegram.com, "Senior duo helps Arlington Martin baseball win under pressure," 1 June 2017
A: On the face of it the Alpine Symphony is a vivid musical description of a day’s journey ascending and descending a mountain, and of the emotions this stirs in the wanderer.

— melinda bargreen, The Seattle Times, "Sibelius rocks, and other reasons a Danish conductor keeps coming to Seattle," 31 May 2017
The tunnels eventually open at ground level to form vivid oases.

— National Geographic, "See the Ancient Water Tunnels Below Iran's Desert," 31 May 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of vivid

Latin vividus, from vivere to live — more at quick

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1634

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of vivid

graphic, vivid, picturesque mean giving a clear visual impression in words. graphic stresses the evoking of a clear lifelike picture. a graphic account of combat vivid suggests an impressing on the mind of the vigorous aliveness of something. a vivid re-creation of an exciting event picturesque suggests the presentation of a striking or effective picture composed of features notable for their distinctness and charm. a picturesque account of his travels

Other Color Terms

argentine, cerise, cerulean, cyan, ocher, perse, puce, taupe, vermilion

VIVID Defined for English Language Learners

vivid

play

adjective

Definition of vivid for English Language Learners

of a picture, memory, etc. : seeming like real life because it is very clear, bright, or detailed
: very bright in color

VIVID Defined for Kids

vivid

play

adjective viv·id \ˈvi-vəd\

Definition of vivid for Students

1 : producing strong mental images a vivid description
2 : very strong or bright vivid red
3 : acting clearly and powerfully a vivid imagination
4 : seeming full of life and freshness a vivid painting

vividly

adverb That scene of two years before flashed back into her recollection as vividly as if it had taken place yesterday. — Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

vividness

noun

Word Root of vivid

The Latin word vivere, meaning “to live,” gives us the root viv. Words from the Latin vivere have something to do with living. To survive is to remain alive. To revive is to bring back to life. Someone vivacious is full of life and is lively and energetic. Something, such as a story, that is vivid appears to be full of life and freshness.

Headscratcher for vivid

If you have studied Roman numerals, you might see something special about the word vivid. It is spelled with letters that are all Roman numerals. (V equals 5, I equals 1, and D equals 500.) Some other words spelled with letters that are Roman numerals are dill, mill, livid, civil, and civic.