vibrant
Americanadjective
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moving to and fro rapidly; vibrating.
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vibrating so as to produce sound, as a string.
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(of sounds) characterized by perceptible vibration; resonant; resounding.
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pulsating with vigor and energy.
the vibrant life of a large city.
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a vibrant personality.
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stimulating; exciting; vivid: a vibrant performance.
vibrant colors;
a vibrant performance.
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Phonetics. made with tonal vibration of the vocal cords; voiced.
noun
adjective
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characterized by or exhibiting vibration; pulsating or trembling
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giving an impression of vigour and activity
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caused by vibration; resonant
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(of colour) strong and vivid
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phonetics trilled or rolled
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vibrant
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin vibrant-, stem of vibrāns, present participle of vibrāre “to shake, move to and fro”; see -ant
Explanation
Vibrant colors are bright. Vibrant sounds are loud and resonant. Vibrant people are ones you remember — they're bright and full of personality. Vibrant was originally intended to describe sounds. Sound waves vibrate, and when they vibrate more rapidly, they sound brighter. Singers and string instrument players increase this effect by shaking the notes they play through a technique called vibrato that increases the vibrancy of their sound.
Vocabulary lists containing vibrant
Words to Capture Your Joy
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 7
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s one of the largest and most vibrant in Europe,” Athora CEO Todd Solash said of Britain’s market for pension transfers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The tornado that transported Dorothy Gale from dusty Kansas to vibrant Oz might have swept up the village idiot instead.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
US Olympic champion track star Florence Griffith Joyner, known as Flo-Jo, is often regarded as a pioneer of competing with long, vibrant nails back in the 1980s.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
The U.S. economy may appear vibrant, based on headlines about the low unemployment rate, the slow pace of layoffs, an apparent slowdown in inflation and the stock market hitting record highs.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
On the radio, a vibrant voice said that gallant Biafran soldiers were flushing out the vandals around Abakaliki.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
