vigilante
noun
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The Meaning and Origin of Vigilante
Vigilante entered English in the 19th century, borrowed from the Spanish word of the same spelling which meant “watchman, guard” in that language. The Spanish word can be traced back to the Latin vigilare, meaning “to keep awake.” The earliest use of the word in English was to refer to a member of a vigilance committee, a committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily, as when the processes of law appear inadequate. The word may often be found in an attributive role, as in the phrases “vigilante justice,” or “vigilante group.” In this slightly broadened sense it carries the suggestion of the enforcement of laws without regard to due process or the general rule of law.
Synonyms
Examples of vigilante in a Sentence
Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Scared and angry, vigilante groups are blocking off their neighborhoods with felled trees and chains, killing and burning outsiders suspected of gang membership.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024
Gangs have laid siege to Port-au-Prince's airport, and warfare between the criminal groups, the country's beleaguered authorities and bands of vigilantes have made traveling by road treacherous.
—Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024
Jackie quickly bulks up but also develops a severe case of ’roid rage, leading to a terrifying act of vigilante justice.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2024
That specter alone could provoke the bond vigilante crowd.
—William Pesek, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024
The residents, Lindor said, were part of a neighborhood vigilante group — a mix of off-duty police officers and civilians, often armed with machetes or knives, who take turns watching the neighborhood.
—Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024
Greg Tate is the vigilante on the other side of AJ’s timing, his best friend in life and afterlife.
—Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Seeing their city shrinking, many Haitians in this region and beyond have organized among themselves in a vigilante movement known as bwa kale.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vigilante.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Vigilante.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vigilante. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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vigilante
noun
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