as in alert
paying close attention usually for the purpose of anticipating approaching danger or opportunity
the night watchman, who was usually vigilant, apparently dozed off and didn't notice the vandals sneaking in
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Recent Examples of vigilant
Local shark researchers are urging residents to be vigilant and report shark sightings after the first white shark of the season was confirmed off Massachusetts this week.
—
Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 13 May 2026
Nevertheless, parents should be vigilant because this is also a mildly accident-prone day for your kids.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
The Artemis 2 astronauts remained vigilant while zipping around the far side of the moon last month, on the ready to record meteoroid impact flashes on the lunar landscape.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 8 May 2026
Pack a couple for your trip, and stay vigilant near swirls of spaghetti al pomodoro.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for vigilant
Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 13 May 2026
Nevertheless, parents should be vigilant because this is also a mildly accident-prone day for your kids.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
The Artemis 2 astronauts remained vigilant while zipping around the far side of the moon last month, on the ready to record meteoroid impact flashes on the lunar landscape.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 8 May 2026
Pack a couple for your trip, and stay vigilant near swirls of spaghetti al pomodoro.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for vigilant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigilant
Adjective
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Residents from Oklahoma to Iowa, including the cities of Kansas City, Omaha, Lincoln and Des Moines, are also being advised to stay alert for twisters.—
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
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Investigations become bottlenecks because alert volume increasingly outpaces human reasoning.—
K.H. Koehler,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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At six in the morning, long before most people are awake, city crews often arrive at homeless encampments with trash bags, police escorts, and a strict deadline.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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Sleepless elephant nights As tensions continue to rise, farmer Gaamini Disanaayake, who lives near the village of Bambaragahawatte in central Sri Lanka, says fear of elephants is keeping him awake at night.—
Diaa Hadid,
NPR,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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Being aware of them and keeping a watchful eye on your power strip and its current condition could protect you and your home in the long run.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
16 May 2026
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Jason, 28, is nonverbal and profoundly disabled, with significant cognitive limitations and little awareness of danger — vulnerabilities that require constant, watchful care.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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The tunnel was built after careful planning and executed with tremendous effort.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
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Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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The girls were aware they were being viewed and knew the reasons why; they were made more special than any other and the world wanted to experience such a treasure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
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Handled well, these interactions can make brands feel more relatable, culturally aware and genuinely fun to follow.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vigilant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigilant. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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