as in watch
an act or period of watching for signs of activity, danger, or opportunity
kept vigil at their ailing son's bedside the entire time he was in the hospital
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Recent Examples of vigil
During the prayer vigil, which was broadcast live by Vatican News and other media outlets, Pope Leo continued his urgent call for ending the war.
—
Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
At a vigil for 15-year-old Jaden Pierre on Monday evening, New York Attorney General Letitia James said detectives had identified the shooter and urged the suspect to surrender himself.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
More recently, in 2013, Pope Francis called an impromptu vigil to plead for peace in the civil war in Syria and wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin to oppose military intervention there.
—Ava Berger, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
In the days after the shooting, neighbors, friends and family held a vigil on that corner.
—April Quevedo, jsonline.com, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vigil
Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
At a vigil for 15-year-old Jaden Pierre on Monday evening, New York Attorney General Letitia James said detectives had identified the shooter and urged the suspect to surrender himself.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
More recently, in 2013, Pope Francis called an impromptu vigil to plead for peace in the civil war in Syria and wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin to oppose military intervention there.
—Ava Berger, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
In the days after the shooting, neighbors, friends and family held a vigil on that corner.
—April Quevedo, jsonline.com, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vigil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigil
Noun
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The last month has seen extensive rain, tornado watches, then warnings and flooding as the Des Plaines and Fox rivers were filled beyond capacity, Kumar said.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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From weeknight dinners to Saturday afternoon football watch parties, these slow-cooker brisket sandwiches that only require 10 minutes of hands-on time are the tastiest solution.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The second is the surveillance of James (Mago) Gately, a Hutch gang member whom the Kinahans planned to murder in 2017.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
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Following 19 months of surveillance, more than 500 troops, six helicopters, and several planes descended on the facility, which was being protected by a perimeter of roughly 30 pickup trucks and over 60 gunmen.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vigil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigil. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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