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.
This is the afterglow of a celebration, the vibrant hues—caution-tape yellow and highlighter green—testifying to a party, the exhausted forms evidence of its raucousness.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
It is a clean energy option that provides enormous home-grown energy that is, and will be, needed to power vibrant economies of the future.
From Salon • May 21, 2026
A price tag hanging from one vibrant red gown reads £595, but students at a school in York will no longer have to pay such an eye-watering price to look their best.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
Gomez recently shared a glimpse inside the couple’s martial home, revealing that they have focused on incorporating color into the property with vibrant shelves and blue cabinets in their kitchen.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
While the Respectables were putting most of their energies into making ends meet, the Refined were mapping out plans to make the heart of the black residential area a vibrant place to live.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
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.
