Definitions

vicarious

[vahy-kair-ee-uhs, vi-] / vaɪˈkɛər i əs, vɪ- /

ADJECTIVE

done or felt for, or on behalf of, another

Synonyms

WEAK

by proxy commissioned delegated deputed empathetic eventual imagined indirect pretended secondary substituted substitutional surrogate sympathetic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And others prefer to spend their vicarious leisure time amid freezing winds, frigid water, 40-foot waves and ice floes.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

But what happened to Colin Gray in a Georgia courtroom is an example of so-called vicarious liability.

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026

Luckily, the internet is also glitching, causing a vicarious thrill when Marty quits trying to get service and throws away his phone.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2025

Television is a vehicle built for vicarious experiences, a medium fueled by feeling and thus prone to engaging in manipulation.

From Salon • May 26, 2025

Even Poor Old Ras, as Charles called his brother, expressed his excitement and his vicarious happiness.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Vocabulary lists containing vicarious

100 Words to Make You Sound Smart

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Grade 12, List 3

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"Why Read Shakespeare?" Vocabulary from the argument

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