# vigil

/ˈvɪdʒəɫ/ (US) · /vˈɪdʒɪl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vigil
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. keeping watch or mourning

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a period of staying awake at night to watch over a sick person, pray, or remember someone who has died.

For teachers: a period of wakefulness maintained for the purpose of keeping watch, praying, or mourning, particularly during the night.

- The family kept a quiet vigil by their grandfather's bedside all through the night.
- The community held a candlelight vigil in the town square to honour the victims of the recent tragedy.

### 3. religious eve

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

the night before a religious festival, often spent praying or staying awake.

For teachers: the eve of a religious festival, traditionally observed with prayer and fasting.

- Many people attended the Easter vigil at the cathedral on Saturday night.
- The liturgical calendar includes several vigils that require the faithful to remain in the chapel for midnight services.

## Examples

- The family kept a quiet vigil by the hospital bed.
- Hundreds of people gathered for a candlelight vigil in the town square to honor the victims of the accident.
- The monks maintained a perpetual prayer vigil, rotating shifts so that the sanctuary was never left unattended throughout the liturgical season.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.