vigil
noun
wakefulness or watchfulness maintained for any reason during the normal hours for sleeping.
vigils
-
pluralof vigil.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
The Tiananmen vigils, which were held in Hong Kong for decades, were the only large-scale public memorial in China for the victims of the 1989 violence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Catholic sisters are playing a key role among clergy and other religious leaders who have been organizing demonstrations and vigils at ICE field offices and processing centers in places like Chicago, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
Karen Dry, who organised monthly vigils for the victims' families when the investigation began, said: "No sentence was ever going to be enough."
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Much of the overtime money the department spent went instead toward preparing for unrest, monitoring protests and vigils, guarding hotels housing federal agents, and managing the public response to federal violence.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Most of the time, though, nothing more alarming than insects disturbed my vigils on the Peak.
From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall
