vigilante

IPA/ˌvɪdʒɪˈlænti/
KK[vˌɪdʒəlˈænti]IPA/ˌvɪdʒɪˈlænti/

vigilante — noun

  • vigilantesingular
  • vigilantesplural

1. someone who takes action against suspected criminals on their own, without being

1.nounB2
Definition

someone who takes action against suspected criminals on their own, without being a police officer or having legal authority, usually because they believe the official justice system is not dealing with the problem properly.

Example

Diego's grandfather joined vigilantes who patrolled the streets after several burglaries in their area.

collocation: vigilante group / group of vigilantes

Online vigilantes tracked down the person who had posted cruel messages about the missing teenager.

collocation: online vigilantes / internet vigilantes

Common collocations
  • vigilante group
  • vigilante justice
  • internet vigilante
  • online vigilante
  • vigilante attack
  • vigilante violence
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

vigilante + verb (acts as a countable noun)

often used attributively: vigilante group / vigilante justice

Usage Note

Often used critically to describe someone whose methods are illegal or extreme. The word frequently appears in news reports about crime, justice, and social activism.

Common Mistakes

The building hired a vigilante to watch the entrance at night.
The building hired a security guard to watch the entrance at night.
A vigilante is not a paid employee; they act on their own authority, without being hired.
My uncle is a vigilante who helps direct traffic for the school.
My uncle is a volunteer who helps direct traffic for the school.
Vigilantes target suspected criminals, not everyday community tasks.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A vigilante acts entirely outside the legal system, often using force or intimidation against people they believe are criminals. 'Self-appointed enforcer' emphasizes the use of physical power or threats rather than reporting to authorities. 'Citizen patrol member' is a more neutral term that can describe organized community safety efforts, which may or may not cooperate with police. 'Neighborhood watch volunteer' is the mildest option — these volunteers typically only observe and report suspicious activity to the police, rather than taking direct action. For example, a person who breaks into a suspect's home to gather evidence is a vigilante; a person who calls 911 after seeing a stranger check car doors is a neighborhood watch volunteer.

vigilante ↗self-appointed enforcercitizen patrol memberneighborhood watch volunteer

Common collocations

Nouns

  • vigilante group
  • vigilante justice
  • vigilante attack
  • vigilante violence

Phrases

  • act as a vigilante
  • take the law into one's own hands

Etymology

LatinSpanishEnglish

Borrowed from Spanish 'vigilante' meaning 'watchman, guard', which comes from Latin 'vigilans' (watchful, awake). The word entered English in the 1850s, when groups of citizens in the American West formed 'vigilance committees' to catch and punish criminals outside the official legal system.

First known use

1856

1856, in the meaning defined above