vigilante

noun

vig·​i·​lan·​te ˌvi-jə-ˈlan-tē How to pronounce vigilante (audio)
: a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily (as when the processes of law are viewed as inadequate)
broadly : a self-appointed doer of justice
vigilantism 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.

Examples of vigilante in a Sentence

the danger of these self-appointed vigilantes is that they sometimes go after innocent people
Recent Examples on the Web In the original movie, Toxie is a 98-pound janitor named Melvin Junko who, after falling into an oil drum filled with toxic waste, becomes an unlikely vigilante in his New Jersey town. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024 The group has always supported policies that gave white vigilantes and white paramilitaries a role in preserving what many consider anti-democratic social order. TIME, 12 Feb. 2024 The previous two projects, a courtroom drama and a vigilante action series, are underway. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Feb. 2024 In Debussy, vigilantes enforced their own checkpoints. Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2023 Instead of clarifying all that confusion, Clarkson’s movie (co-written with three others) merely widens the web, teasing a future vigilante trio, plus whatever Cassie’s supposed to be by the end. Peter Debruge, Variety, 13 Feb. 2024 Whose lives, and how they would be saved, was unclear, but the message fit the tone of the convoy event: urgent, righteous, and with a hint of vigilante menace. Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 8 Feb. 2024 Fox News was there to have the right-wing leader of a vigilante organization opine on the dangers posed to the city by crime and immigrants to host Sean Hannity. Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2024 British filmmaker Matthew Vaughn’s helmed a gonzo fantasy with a cross-dressing Robert De Niro, a vigilante superhero flick with a foul-mouthed, killer kid, and a delirious spin on Bond with Colin Firth. Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 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.

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, watchman, guard, from vigilante vigilant, from Latin vigilant-, vigilans

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vigilante was in 1856

Dictionary Entries Near vigilante

Cite this Entry

“Vigilante.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vigilante. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

vigilante

noun
vig·​i·​lan·​te ˌvij-ə-ˈlant-ē How to pronounce vigilante (audio)
: a member of a group of volunteers who decide on their own to stop crime and to punish criminals

More from Merriam-Webster on vigilante

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