hypervigilant
adjective
hy·per·vig·i·lant
ˌhī-pər-ˈvi-jə-lənt 
variants
or hyper-vigilant
: extremely or excessively vigilant : highly or abnormally alert to potential danger or threat
After an accident or an assault, most people tend to feel unsafe, to have a reduced startle threshold, and to be hypervigilant.—
Irvin D. Yalom
Irvin D. YalomThrough its hypervigilant security measures, this state-run airline keeps its passengers safe from everyone except its own surly flight attendants.—Craig Offman
Craig OffmanWe all have to be hyper-vigilant about our own affairs and those of our kids and elderly loved ones.—Teresa Dixon Murray
Teresa Dixon MurrayExamples of hypervigilant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To suss them out, skywatchers stay hypervigilant for any one-off dip in starlight when a rogue planet crosses serendipitously in front of a star.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
As Cha-il, the auditing department’s perpetually exasperated and hypervigilant leader, Shin helps to uncover various scandals and white collar crimes.
—Simon Abrams, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
As someone who likes to have the same breakfast every morning — a slice of apple pie — and is hypervigilant about counting ballots, all the changes have been hard, but exciting.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
To suss them out, skywatchers stay hypervigilant for any one-off dip in starlight when a rogue planet crosses serendipitously in front of a star.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
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Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
As Cha-il, the auditing department’s perpetually exasperated and hypervigilant leader, Shin helps to uncover various scandals and white collar crimes.
—Simon Abrams, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
As someone who likes to have the same breakfast every morning — a slice of apple pie — and is hypervigilant about counting ballots, all the changes have been hard, but exciting.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
To suss them out, skywatchers stay hypervigilant for any one-off dip in starlight when a rogue planet crosses serendipitously in front of a star.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypervigilant
Cite this Entry
“Hypervigilant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypervigilant. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
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