qui vive

noun

kē-ˈvēv How to pronounce qui vive (audio)
Definition of qui vivenext
as in watch
the state of being constantly attentive and responsive to signs of opportunity, activity, or danger an army on the qui vive for enemy attack

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for qui vive
  1. watch
  2. watchfulness
  3. alert
Noun
  • Parts of the panhandle are now under a hurricane watch or tropical storm watch, and up to 5 feet of storm surge is expected to lash the coast.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Separate Fortune reporting found young shoppers flaunting luxury watches on TikTok and Instagram.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of watch
Noun
  • Hechinger, all raw nerve and watchfulness, announces himself as a star.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The multiple heads can be said to represent divine watchfulness of the world and devotees.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of watchfulness
Noun
  • Throughout the flight, Strato sends real-time telemetry to its operator, including altitude, wind conditions, temperature, and icing alerts.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
  • This graphic shows the tropical alerts in effect due to Hurricane Isaias.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of alert
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

quivers
qui vive
quixote
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Cite this Entry

“Qui vive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/qui%20vive. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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