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.
Over time, many Palestinian shops in the Old City have shut, and the once vibrant thoroughfare flanked by old stone buildings now stands empty.
From Barron's • Jun. 29, 2026
At first, the change is imperceptible but Nick notices that his sleepy village seems more vibrant, more populated with people.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
"We wanted it to be a vibrant, living celebration of community. Where we can learn together and share the joys of art and music and sport and play," he said.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
I want to be around for a long time, and I want to be healthy and vibrant, not a burden my sons have to care for.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
He didn’t know Dimple very well, obviously, and yet tonight she was just...off, a faded print of her former vibrant self.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
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.
