vivid

adjective viv·id \ ˈvi-vəd \

|Updated on: 18 Aug 2018

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

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vividly

adverb

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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

In Natural History, Pliny gives a vivid account of orcas attacking whales at the Strait of Gibraltar.

— jeet heer, The New Republic, "Scientists admit Pliny the Elder was right about orcas and whales.," 11 July 2018
Tyrion describes his memories of Orson's beetle genocide in vivid detail, unable to understand why anyone would mete out so much violence for no apparent reason.

— josh wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Game of Thrones' Podcast: Smashing Back Into "The Mountain and the Viper"," 11 July 2018
Dillon, who was deemed incompetent to stand trial for murder, was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a disease whose early symptoms can include vivid visual hallucinations.

— NBC News, "Unlocked And loaded: Families confront dementia and guns," 26 June 2018
Memories of Bryant’s greatest triumphs remain vivid, and that’s what James will be measured against, not the last five years in which the Lakers have failed to reach the postseason.

— dylan hernandez, latimes.com, "On the Lakers’ road back to greatness with LeBron, the hardest steps may still lie ahead," 12 July 2018
As a result, readers are left with a vivid picture—one that could close the gap between suicidal thoughts and death by suicide.

— danielle campoamor, Marie Claire, "It's Time to Talk About the Media's Role in Rising Suicide Rates," 8 June 2018
By the end of the day, Giuliani had come up with a far more concise, and vivid, explanation of the president’s powers.

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "Giuliani’s New Tactic: Arguing Trump Can Literally Get Away With Murder," 4 June 2018
The day in boot camp that will always be vivid in my memory is the day of our first inoculations.

— phoebe wall howard, Detroit Free Press, "Service Diary of a Corpsman: Roy L. Wall, LST 509," 28 May 2018
But even after a half-century, memories remain vivid.

— dave kallmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "How Bobby Unser won the '68 Indianapolis 500, and the Milwaukee man who made that happen," 24 May 2018

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 ¹quick

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1634

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

vivid Synonyms

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

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

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

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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

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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.