vibe

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈvīb 

plural vibes ˈvībz 

informal

: a distinctive feeling or quality capable of being sensed

This place has a good/bad vibe.

She gave me a weird vibe. = She gave off a weird vibe. = I got a weird vibe from her.

Though zebra print looks positively of the moment, it also conveys a groovy retro vibe.

—Liana Satenstein and Madeline Fass

He seems to be in on every conversation, every deal, every vibe that is winging through the room.

—Albert Goldman

—often plural

a place with good vibes [=vibrations]

… You've been giving off such bad vibes around here that the geraniums in the break room are dying …

—Ruth Walker

Now some of those closest to the former Disney star are sending positive vibes [=thoughts, wishes] her way via heartfelt social media messages …

—Cole Delbyck

… a smart, versatile collection of funk, pop, rock, and soul vibes.

—Craig Jenkins

vibe

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural vibes

: vibraphone

… she plays the vibe … for the Marching Eagles band …

—Sandra Baer

"… I played the chords. He played the vibe. And suddenly, I had a new song. It was cool."

—Rob Lutes, quoted in The (Montreal) Gazette

—usually used in plural

While [Nick] Parnell's previous shows showcased his versatility on a battery of percussion instruments, for the past five years his focus has increasingly shifted to the vibraphone, or "vibes" as it is known.

—Patrick McDonald

The tune's opening featured melodic statements transitioning seamlessly between piano and vibes …

—David Picker

vibist

ˈvī-bist 

noun

plural vibists

A vibist who has been around many years without getting much limelight, [Ray] Alexander has a bright sound and lucid improvisational style …

—The Village Voice

vibe

3 of 3

verb

vibed; vibing; vibes

1

intransitive informal : to enjoy music

… listeners vibed on her new release …

—Allison Samuels

… we were all just vibing to the beat …

—Rolling Stone

2

intransitive informal : to be in harmony

"They just vibed," says [Steve] Nash's agent, Bill Duffy. "They ended up hanging out, and there was some chemistry …"

—Sports Illustrated

She said many things with which I agree, but I especially "vibed"… with her critique of the American democratic process …

—Charles M. Williams

3

transitive informal : to convey a sense of (a place, a feeling, etc.)

I found that I loved the little town. In many ways, it vibed New York.

—Isabel Gillies

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• aura
• chi
• ch'i
• qi
• energy
• ki
• vibration(s)

Examples of vibe in a Sentence

Noun (1)

I got a weird vibe from her.

a book by a professor of physiological science about her experiments with human energy fields and the vibes they emanate

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The set was fine by their standards but the vibe was not, and singer Damon Albarn clearly noticed. —Spin Staff, SPIN, 15 Apr. 2024

For a few minutes, the vibe felt more coffeehouse than world-tour. —Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

short for vibration

Noun (2)

short for vibraphone

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1967, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1935, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

vibe

noun

ˈvīb 

: vibration sense 3

—usually used in plural

got bad vibes from him