vicariously
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vicariously
Explanation
If you’re living vicariously, stop it. Get out and live life for yourself. Vicariously means that you’re experiencing something indirectly, like when your friend's adventure feels like your own. Vicariously is the adverb form of the word vicarious, which also involves experiencing something through another person. The Latin influence is the word vicarius, which means “substitute.” If you experience something vicariously, in a sense you’re a substitute who’s getting something secondhand.
Vocabulary lists containing vicariously
The Great Gatsby
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Great Expectations
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Five Feet Apart
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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.
Since she’s afraid to venture outside, she hoards these memories to live vicariously.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
So I have to live vicariously through you two.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026
Zubaydah alleged that London was "vicariously liable" for multiple wrongs against him, including conspiracy to injure, false imprisonment and negligence.
From Barron's ● Jan. 12, 2026
Since these were public officials acting under the state's authority, "the government must answer for the resulting harm" and thus was "vicariously liable", the judge said.
From BBC ● Dec. 26, 2025
I also liked living vicariously through her letters.
From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda
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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.
