as in watches
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vigils
In Tel Aviv, silent vigils mourn Gaza’s children—absent, yet achingly present in large-scale photographs.
—
Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Tel Aviv activists hold silent vigils mourning Gaza’s children, confronting public hostility with quiet resilience.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
Past disasters have left a painful mark for many, but they’re connected by strong community ties and have come together at vigils to honor and pray for the victims.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
Tens of thousands gathered in Hostages Square, the plaza in Tel Aviv that has been the site of vigils throughout the war.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025
Community members gathered for vigils to pray and mourn as crews continued to work on clearing the scene.
—Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Oct. 2025
The lawsuit also cites a long tradition of peaceful prayer vigils and protests at the Broadview facility, where local faith groups and immigration advocates have gathered for years.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Berg pointed out that thousands of residents gathered at vigils and solidarity events, provided support for Israel and South Florida itself became a safe haven for displaced Israelis.
—Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025
But local groups that hold vigils, advocate for immigrants or protest methods of immigration enforcement say their goal is to make sure that all people are treated equally and fairly under the law.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Sep. 2025
Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Tel Aviv activists hold silent vigils mourning Gaza’s children, confronting public hostility with quiet resilience.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
Past disasters have left a painful mark for many, but they’re connected by strong community ties and have come together at vigils to honor and pray for the victims.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
Tens of thousands gathered in Hostages Square, the plaza in Tel Aviv that has been the site of vigils throughout the war.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025
Community members gathered for vigils to pray and mourn as crews continued to work on clearing the scene.
—Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Oct. 2025
The lawsuit also cites a long tradition of peaceful prayer vigils and protests at the Broadview facility, where local faith groups and immigration advocates have gathered for years.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Berg pointed out that thousands of residents gathered at vigils and solidarity events, provided support for Israel and South Florida itself became a safe haven for displaced Israelis.
—Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025
But local groups that hold vigils, advocate for immigrants or protest methods of immigration enforcement say their goal is to make sure that all people are treated equally and fairly under the law.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigils
Noun
-
In addition, New York City and Philadelphia also faced tornado watches and considerable rainfall, creating risks of flash flooding and travel delays.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
-
But if the plot is about swapping fortunes, the watches in the movie are about swapping personalities.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
These historic mines offer great mountainous lookouts.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
According to the organization’s shutdown contingency plan, park roads, lookouts, trails and open air memorials will remain accessible to visitors.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vigils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigils. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share