Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective vigilant contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of vigilant are alert, watchful, and wide-awake. While all these words mean "being on the lookout especially for danger or opportunity," vigilant suggests intense, unremitting, wary watchfulness.

eternally vigilant in the safeguarding of democracy

Where would alert be a reasonable alternative to vigilant?

The words alert and vigilant can be used in similar contexts, but alert stresses readiness or promptness in meeting danger or in seizing opportunity.

alert traders anticipated the stock market's slide

When is watchful a more appropriate choice than vigilant?

The meanings of watchful and vigilant largely overlap; however, watchful is the least explicit term.

the watchful eye of the department supervisor

When is it sensible to use wide-awake instead of vigilant?

Although the words wide-awake and vigilant have much in common, wide-awake applies to watchfulness for opportunities and developments more often than dangers.

wide-awake companies latched onto the new technology

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 vigilant But then Lacey was back with the kids, banging around in the kitchen, and the first of the evening’s friends and acquaintances began to show up and the blessedness passed, as had the roadrunner, hyperactive and vigilant and always on the make, gone off to seek somebody else’s snakes. T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025 Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder. Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025 Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder. Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025 During a quiet period earlier this summer, meteorologists urged people to remain vigilant, stressing that peak hurricane season doesn't typically occur until mid-September. Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vigilant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigilant
Adjective
  • Knowing these risk factors can encourage individuals to be more alert about suicide.
    Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Both Stewart and Kalitta were alert and exited their cars under their own power.
    Lydia Mee, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Camera flashes burst against the walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, framing Blade Runner–esque vistas of the flickering skyline, a winking reminder that New York City is always wide awake.
    Alex Catarinella, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • However, some expressed concern over the fact that OP is sleeping while his baby daughter is still awake.
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Caption with Intention has been a project in the pipeline since 2019 under the watchful eye of Bruno Mazzotti, an Executive Creative Director at FCB Chicago who, having grown up in Brazil with two deaf parents, identifies as a real-life CODA as in the 2022 Oscar-winning film of the same title.
    Gus Alexiou, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Nine other members of the American team are there, under the watchful eye of Bradley and his vice-captains.
    Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Because Arthur and his lookalike neighbor are so physically similar, the poster and her neighbors have to be careful not to mix them up.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
  • This requires sterile environments and careful selection of the substrate.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Many of these guests were not aware of CGTN’s links to Beijing.
    Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
  • That’s why Marino would like more people to be aware of MASH and get checked for it.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vigilant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigilant. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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