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.

Her use of “dialectics” gave me a vicarious headache.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

For all of us watching at home—while the show makes stops around the homeland—it offers more than just vicarious joy at learning someone’s family heirloom really is a treasure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

We don’t just go to movies for vicarious adventures.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025

A jury eventually found Cox liable under two theories, vicarious and contributory liability.

From Slate • Nov. 28, 2025

To Collins, Bobby represented a second existence—the boy’s career was a vicarious entry to a level of chess mastery he himself would never achieve.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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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