vigil

noun
UK: /ˈvɪdʒ.ɪl/
US: /ˈvɪdʒ.əl/

  1. A period of staying awake to watch or pray.

    1. We kept vigil by the bedside of our sick child.
    2. The community held a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the tragedy.

  2. A period of purposeful sleeplessness.

    1. She kept vigil all night before the important exam.
    2. Security guards maintain a constant vigil against potential threats to the building.

Synonyms

guard wake surveillance observance watch
vigil intransitive-verb

  1. To keep watch or remain awake for a particular purpose.

    1. We will vigil all night, hoping for good news.
    2. The volunteers vigil at the animal shelter to protect the animals from harm.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "vigil" in English means: A period of staying awake to watch or pray., A period of purposeful sleeplessness..

The phonetic transcription of "vigil" is /ˈvɪdʒ.ɪl/ in British English and /ˈvɪdʒ.əl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "vigil": guard, wake, surveillance, observance, watch.

Example usage of "vigil": "We kept vigil by the bedside of our sick child.". More examples on the page.