Meaning & use

vigilance

noun·Academic

Careful and continuous attention to notice possible danger or problems.

See it in a sentence

The guards maintained constant vigilance throughout the night to prevent any break-ins.

Doctors urged vigilance for early symptoms of the disease during flu season.

A note on using this word

Vigilance implies sustained effort over time, unlike alertness, which can describe a single brief moment of attention.

Words with a similar meaning

watchfulnessalertness

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

carelessnessnegligence

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