vim
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of vim
An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; from Latin, accusative singular of vīs “energy, force”
Explanation
Vim is energy and enthusiasm. If you've got vim, then you probably pack a little extra oomph in your life! Vim is an odd-looking word, but it stands for a simple concept: being ready for activity, especially vigorous activity. Someone who is always playing sports or going on trips is full of vim. Someone who lies on the couch watching TV all day shows very little vim. This word often appears in the phrase "vim and vigor." If you have vim, you have energy and you're ready to put that energy into all sorts of activities; you're up for anything.
Vocabulary lists containing vim
Essential Three-Letter Words, Part 4
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Emily of New Moon
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Leeva at Last
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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.
Victory in Mexico was a boost for Norris, whose best Brazil result was second two years ago, while Piastri, struggling to recover his earlier vim and consistency, was a personal best eighth last year.
From Barron's • Nov. 6, 2025
Shy himself is movingly human — full of vim but also lonesome and afraid.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2024
This time around the boy math tweets held a level of vim that women on the internet were holding onto and ready to fire off.
From Salon • Sep. 30, 2023
It’s alive with youthful vim, but there are limits.
From Washington Post • Aug. 19, 2022
I made sure to come home all vim and vigor, never complaining about the customers’ behavior or about my feet hurting from standing all day.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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.
