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To be vigilant is to be watchful or alert for danger or some other kind of trouble.

Vigilant can describe a person or an action. It is often used when talking about keeping something out or in—whether that means keeping mistakes out of your work, robbers out of your home, or the dog inside the house.

Example: We must be vigilant if we want to protect our home from invaders.

The first records of vigilant in English come from the 1470s. It comes from the Latin word ������������Բ� (meaning “keeping awake”), which is derived from the Latin word ��������������� (meaning “to be watchful”). It is related to other words that imply watchfulness (and sometimes potential danger), such as vigil and vigilante. In fact, the Latin word vigil means “sentry,” a person who stands guard, such as to look out for dangers such as invaders, escapees, or fire.

To be vigilant, then, is to behave like a guard who watches to make sure that bad things don’t happen. Of course, those bad things can take many forms, depending on the context in which vigilant is used. Someone might tell you to be vigilant while walking home in the dark. A shepherd needs to be vigilant for wolves. But being vigilant sometimes involves watching out for unknown dangers. A parent might be vigilant when monitoring their children’s internet use. And election officials may keep a vigilant watch over voters. In all cases, being vigilant means being watchful and alert without letting your guard down. It doesn’t always have to involve the potential for danger or trouble, but it usually does.

What are some other forms of vigilant?

• vigilance (noun)
• vigilantly (adverb)

What are some synonyms for vigilant?

• watchful
• wary
• alert

What are some words that share a root or word element with vigilant?��

• vigil
• vigilante

What are some words that often get used in discussing vigilant?

• watchfulness
• danger
• trouble
• safety
• security
• citizen
• alarm

Vigilant is often used in serious contexts, such as safety, politics, and national security.

There's been a recent spate of bike burglaries in the Wrenthorpe and Alverthorpe area from locked/alarmed garages between 3am and 5am. Please be vigilant and, of course, keep your prized bikes locked and secured.

— Calder Clarion CC (@CalderClarion)

You need to watch this so that you really understand, going forward from now, that you can never trust videos again. Be vigilant.

— Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy)

You don't often hear appreciation for banks, but I have to say I'm glad my bank is so vigilant about picking up on credit card fraud. I had a call last night that my card was compromised. Apparently I ordered Skip the Dishes. As far as I know, we can't do that in .

— Bernice Hillier (@BerniceCBC)

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Is vigilant used correctly in the following sentence?

His vigilant gaze allowed the dog to slip out the door while he wasn’t looking.