vigil

noun

vig·​il ˈvi-jəl 

1

: the act of keeping awake at times when sleep is customary

also : a period of wakefulness

2

: an event or a period of time when a person or group stays in a place and quietly waits, prays, etc., especially at night

a candlelight vigil

kept vigil at her bedside

3

a

: a watch formerly kept on the night before a religious feast with prayer or other devotions

b

: the day before a religious feast observed as a day of spiritual preparation

c

: evening or nocturnal devotions or prayers

—usually used in plural

Synonyms

• lookout
• surveillance
• watch

Examples of vigil in a Sentence

kept vigil at their ailing son's bedside the entire time he was in the hospital

Recent Examples on the Web

Listen to this article Around 100 people gathered for a candlelight vigil in Aurora for Christopher Lepe, 19, on Thursday evening. —Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025

Hundreds of Southern University students, alumni, staff and state leaders gathered for a vigil Wednesday evening in honor of Wilson. —CBS News, 7 Mar. 2025

The most egregious of these included a vigil held in front of Geisel Library on Oct. 7, 2024, hosted in collaboration with Jewish Voices for Peace at UC San Diego, whose organization was under a similar cease and desist order. —Ellia M Torkian, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025

At a vigil for Nordquist in St. Paul on February 18, his coworker at a group home, Matt Partlow, called him a beautiful human being who loved Puma sweatshirts, TikTok, and cooking, according to Minnesota Public Radio. —James Factora, Them, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vigile, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin vigilia watch on the eve of a feast, from Latin, wakefulness, watch, from vigil awake, watchful; akin to Latin vigēre to be vigorous, vegēre to enliven — more at wake

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Phrases Containing vigil

• keep vigil
• vigil light

Kids Definition

vigil

noun

vig·​il ˈvij-əl 

1

a

: the day before a religious feast

b

: prayers or religious services held in the evening or at night

—usually used in plural

2

: an act or period of staying awake at times when one normally would be sleeping

an all-night vigil spent awaiting her return

3

: an act or period of attentive watching : watch

kept vigil at the bedside of his ill son