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 Back in May, Kotb exclusively revealed to PEOPLE that her daughter Hope had been privately diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease which prevents the pancreas from making its own insulin, requiring vigilant blood sugar monitoring and frequent insulin injections. Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025 The department is warning people to be vigilant and to avoid handing their devices to strangers. Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 9 Sep. 2025 So be vigilant about emptying water dishes, screening rain barrels, and running fountains to prevent standing water. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025 Patients should be sure to report symptoms to their clinicians, and clinicians need to be vigilant and consider Legionnaires’ disease as a possibility. Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vigilant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigilant
Adjective
  • Aim to exercise outdoors during daylight hours, if possible, and stay alert to your surroundings for safety.
    Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2025
  • That said, since Steal a Brainrot lives on a platform that may pose dangers to kids, parents should stay alert.
    Annabelle Canela, Parents, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The watch also includes Sleep Score, which breaks down sleep stages such as core, deep and awake to give users a clearer picture of rest quality.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Nightmares about what happened — both on the street and in the hospital — keep him awake.
    Cara Anthony, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • An earnest and thoughtful executive with a warm, open demeanor, Pinault was seated at Monday’s interview under a large black-and-white painting of an owl, the mascot for Kering — and a metaphor for his watchful eyes on shifting consumer sentiment and economic fluctuations.
    Miles Socha, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Williams said staff will be extra watchful as students process Wilson’s death.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But Eliasen is careful not to let scope creep derail initial implementations.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • European policymakers were fully aware of the reorganization and job losses at Volkswagen, Luman said, amid broader concerns that falling employment in Germany’s historic car industry could put even more positions at risk.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • More importantly, people became aware of the ecological value and beauty of raptors and turned against killing them.
    Tom Langen, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vigilant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigilant. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on vigilant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!