vim

American  

[vim] / vɪm /

noun

1. lively or energetic spirit; enthusiasm; vitality.

   Synonyms:

   dash, energy, pep, vigor

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vim British  

/ vɪm /

noun

1. slang exuberant vigour and energy

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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.

Example Sentences

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

A full horse full of vim and vigor and they brought Cody up.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2023

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

The parameters generate something spontaneous, something strange, something that echoes the vim of hip-hop visionary Rammellzee circa 1983 and something that hints at the mysteries of existence circa eternity.

From Washington Post • Jan. 24, 2023

Milo nodded with spurious vim to indicate he still understood and then sat silent, ruminating gravely with troubled misgiving.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller