vibrant
Americanadjective
-
moving to and fro rapidly; vibrating.
-
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.
"When Eritrea was part of Ethiopia, its cities were vibrant and beautiful. Today, Eritrean cities seem like ghost towns," Abiy said in the speech.
From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026
The vibrant stage is usually accompanied by a carnival-like atmosphere with food stalls, rides and smaller performances.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
Without them, corals lose their vibrant colors, struggle to obtain enough nourishment, and become more susceptible to harmful algae.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026
The walls are full of vibrant paintings, and lined with plants, statuettes and candles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
As he did so there came a shrill, vibrant cry and he caught sight, between the plants, of a brilliant azure bird flashing past over the open water.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
