vibe

1 of 3

noun (1)

plural vibes ˈvībz How to pronounce vibe (audio)
informal
: a distinctive feeling or quality capable of being sensed
This place has a good/bad vibe.
She gave me a weird vibe. = She gave off a weird vibe. = I got a weird vibe from her.
Though zebra print looks positively of the moment, it also conveys a groovy retro vibe.Liana Satenstein and Madeline Fass
He seems to be in on every conversation, every deal, every vibe that is winging through the room.Albert Goldman
often plural
a place with good vibes [=vibrations]
… You've been giving off such bad vibes around here that the geraniums in the break room are dying …Ruth Walker
Now some of those closest to the former Disney star are sending positive vibes [=thoughts, wishes] her way via heartfelt social media messages …Cole Delbyck
… a smart, versatile collection of funk, pop, rock, and soul vibes.Craig Jenkins

vibe

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural vibes
: vibraphone
… she plays the vibe … for the Marching Eagles band …Sandra Baer
"… I played the chords. He played the vibe. And suddenly, I had a new song. It was cool."Rob Lutes, quoted in The (Montreal) Gazette
usually used in plural
While [Nick] Parnell's previous shows showcased his versatility on a battery of percussion instruments, for the past five years his focus has increasingly shifted to the vibraphone, or "vibes" as it is known.Patrick McDonald
The tune's opening featured melodic statements transitioning seamlessly between piano and vibesDavid Picker
vibist noun
plural vibists
A vibist who has been around many years without getting much limelight, [Ray] Alexander has a bright sound and lucid improvisational style … The Village Voice

vibe

3 of 3

verb

vibed; vibing; vibes
1
intransitive informal : to enjoy music
… listeners vibed on her new release …Allison Samuels
… we were all just vibing to the beat …Rolling Stone
2
intransitive informal : to be in harmony
"They just vibed," says [Steve] Nash's agent, Bill Duffy. "They ended up hanging out, and there was some chemistry …"Sports Illustrated
She said many things with which I agree, but I especially "vibed"… with her critique of the American democratic process …Charles M. Williams
3
transitive informal : to convey a sense of (a place, a feeling, etc.)
I found that I loved the little town. In many ways, it vibed New York.Isabel Gillies

Examples of vibe in a Sentence

Noun (1) I got a weird vibe from her. a book by a professor of physiological science about her experiments with human energy fields and the vibes they emanate
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Here are 13 places in L.A. that have spooky vibes any time of the year. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024 The scares doled out are effective, and the lo-fi vibes are immaculate. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2024 The pop-up's haunted chemist vibe feeds into the Eastern Market distillery's October announcement of a new product release, Absinthe Supérieure Isabella, an absinthe named after a 16th century alchemist. Annalise Frank, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024 As the rest of the country pulls out sweaters and sips on pumpkin spice lattes, Florida’s fall traditions have a different vibe. Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for vibe 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vibe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

short for vibration

Noun (2)

short for vibraphone

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1967, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1935, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of vibe was in 1935

Dictionary Entries Near vibe

Cite this Entry

“Vibe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vibe. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

vibe

noun
informal
: vibration sense 3
usually used in plural
got bad vibes from him

More from Merriam-Webster on vibe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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