vigilante Definition
- 1a person who takes the law into their own hands and enforces it without legal authority
- 2a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate
Using vigilante: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "vigilante" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The town was terrorized by a group of vigilantes who took justice into their own hands.
Example
He became a vigilante after his family was murdered and the police failed to catch the killer.
Example
The neighborhood watch group was accused of acting like vigilantes.
vigilante Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with vigilante
to take action on one's own initiative, without authorization by the legal system
Example
He decided to take the law into his own hands and confront the thief himself.
citizen's arrest
an arrest made by a person who is not acting as a sworn law-enforcement official
Example
The store owner made a citizen's arrest when he caught the thief stealing from his shop.
mob justice
punishment inflicted on someone by a group of people without a legal trial
Example
The suspect was beaten to death by a mob before the police could arrive, in an act of mob justice.
Origins of vigilante
from Spanish 'vigilante', meaning 'watchman'
Summary: vigilante in Brief
A 'vigilante' [ˌvɪdʒɪˈlænti] is a person who takes the law into their own hands and enforces it without legal authority. They may be members of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority. Examples include 'The town was terrorized by a group of vigilantes who took justice into their own hands.' 'Vigilante' extends into phrases like 'take the law into one's own hands,' and 'citizen's arrest,' denoting actions taken without legal authorization.
