Meanings
nounvigilantism (countable and uncountable, plural vigilantisms)
plural vigilantisms · alternative vigilanteism
- countableuncountableThe activities of a vigilante; acting outside of legal authority, often violently, to punish or avenge a crime, right a perceived wrong, etc.
Mr Shapiro also criticised the way Israel governs in the occupied lands, saying “too much Israeli vigilantism in the West Bank goes unchecked,” he said.
2016 February 6, James Zogby, “Israel’s prickliness blocks the long quest for peace”, in The National, archived from the original on 22 May 2021, retrieved 08 Feb 2016
Origin
Translations
Finnish vigilantismi, omankädenoikeus
- vigilantismiactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
- omankädenoikeusactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
German Vigilantismus, Vigilantentum
- Vigilantismusactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
- Vigilantentumactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
- Selbstjustizactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
Hungarian önbíráskodás, önkéntes/önjelölt polgárőrség
- önbíráskodásactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
- önkéntes/önjelölt polgárőrségactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
- önkényes igazságosztás/rendfenntartásactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
- vigilantizmusactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
Spanish vigilantismo, justicierismo
- vigilantismoactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
- justicierismoactivities of vigilante — see also lynching, taking the law into one's own hands
Cite this entry
APA
vigilantism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vigilantism
MLA
“vigilantism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vigilantism. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vigilantism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vigilantism.
Source: vigilantism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.