vigilance

American  

[vij-uh-luhns] / ˈvɪdʒ ə ləns /

noun

1. state or quality of being vigilant; watchfulness.

   Vigilance is required in the event of treachery.

   Synonyms:

   care, concern, heedfulness, attention, alertness

2. Pathology. insomnia.

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vigilance British  

/ ˈvɪdʒɪləns /

noun

1. the fact, quality, or condition of being vigilant

2. the abnormal state or condition of being unable to sleep

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Usage

What does vigilance mean? Vigilance is the state of being watchful or alert for danger or some other kind of trouble. Vigilance is the noun form of the adjective vigilant, meaning watchful or alert. Vigilance is often used when talking about keeping something out or in—whether that means keeping mistakes out of your work, robbers out of your home, or the dog inside the house. In a medical context, vigilance is sometimes used as a synonym for insomnia—the state of being unable to sleep. Example: We must be vigilant if we want to protect our home from invaders.

Other Word Forms

• hypervigilance
  noun
• nonvigilance
  noun
• previgilance
  noun
• supervigilance
  noun

Etymology

Origin of vigilance

First recorded in 1560–70; alteration ( -ance for -ancy) of obsolete vigilancy, from Latin vigilantia; see vigilant, -ancy

Explanation

Vigilance is devoted attentiveness or watchfulness. Security guards and test proctors alike need to practice vigilance. Vigilance comes from the Latin word for "wakefulness," vigilantia, and in a medical setting vigilance is still sometimes used to mean "insomnia." A prison guard might be required to maintain vigilance the whole time she's working, always being alert and watchful.

Example Sentences

“Got to maintain the vigilance on these voluntary agreements. At peril, we go back to our old ways,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

"Increased cortisol levels help the body respond to immediate stressors by inducing a state of vigilance," said Prof Trevor Hamilton of MacEwan University, corresponding author.

From Science Daily • May 3, 2026

Fed governor Christopher Waller, whose worries about the labor market underpinned last year’s three rate cuts, shifted toward inflation vigilance this month.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

"More than half experienced physical symptoms including difficulty sleeping, headaches or excessive tiredness, while nearly two thirds reported behavioural changes such as distrusting others or hyper vigilance," Halkon said.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Only the vigilance and care of Rebeca kept him from being dragged off by his imagination into a state of perpetual delirium from which he would not recover.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Related Words

• alertness
• caution
• diligence
• surveillance