vitality
gb/vaɪtˈæləti/ us/vaɪtˈæləti/
B2
English
~ 7500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
physical and mental energy
Energy and strength that make a person feel alive, active, and healthy.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is full of vitality
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "vitality" with the adjective "vital" and say *"I feel very vitality"* instead of "I feel very lively" or "I have a lot of vitality." Remember that "vitality" is a noun, so it is used with verbs like "have," "lose," or "gain" (e.g., "She has great vitality," not *"She is vitality").
Synonyms
energy (More general and very common; can describe power in objects or systems as well as people, while "vitality" often focuses on a lively, healthy quality in living beings.)
|
vigor (Very close in meaning, often suggests strong, forceful energy; slightly more formal or literary than "energy".)
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liveliness (Focuses more on being active and animated in behavior or atmosphere, while "vitality" can also imply underlying health and strength.)
Antonyms
lethargy (Suggests a heavy lack of energy and desire to move, which is the opposite of the active, strong feeling in "vitality".)
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fatigue (Means tiredness or exhaustion, directly contrasting with the feeling of strength and energy in "vitality".)
Collocations
youthful vitality
|renewed vitality
|burst of vitality
|full of vitality
|loss of vitality
|vitality and energy
Themes
health
|daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Even in her eighties, she moved with a surprising vitality that impressed everyone around her.
- Regular exercise and good sleep can greatly increase your sense of vitality.
- His illness stole his vitality, leaving him too weak to enjoy the things he loved.
- The hikers admired the old guide’s vitality as he led them up the steep trail.
- Meditation helped her regain the vitality she had lost during a stressful year at work.
Learner examples
- The old man still has a lot of vitality.
- Good food and rest can give you more vitality.
- After the long holiday, I returned to work with new vitality.
- Her face shows youth and vitality.
- Exercise helps me keep my vitality.
Noun
C1
state
2
strength and activity of a system
The strong, active life of a place, group, or system that helps it grow and stay successful.
Usage pattern:
the vitality of [a system or community]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "life" instead of "vitality" for systems or places, saying *"the city has a strong life"* instead of "the city has strong vitality" or simply "the city is very lively." Also, avoid saying *"many vitalities"*; this sense is almost always uncountable.
Synonyms
dynamism (Emphasizes energetic movement and change inside a system, often in business or politics, while "vitality" can be slightly broader and also include basic strength.)
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robustness (Highlights being strong and not easily damaged; "vitality" adds a sense of active life and growth, not just toughness.)
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prosperity (Focuses on wealth and success, especially financial, while "vitality" focuses more on general activity and health of the system, not only money.)
Antonyms
stagnation (Describes a lack of growth or movement, directly opposite to the active growth and change suggested by "vitality".)
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decline (Means a gradual loss of strength or success, in contrast to the strong, growing state suggested by "vitality".)
Collocations
economic vitality
|urban vitality
|cultural vitality
|political vitality
|restore vitality
|maintain vitality
Themes
business
|society
|economics
|politics
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Tourism plays a key role in the economic vitality of the coastal region.
- New public spaces and festivals have brought fresh vitality to the city center.
- Investing in education is essential for the long-term vitality of any society.
- The party’s loss of young members raised concerns about its political vitality.
- Artists and small theaters give the neighborhood much of its cultural vitality.
Learner examples
- New companies add vitality to the local economy.
- Good public transport increases the vitality of a city.
- The government wants to improve the economic vitality of rural areas.
- Music and art bring vitality to the town.
- Immigrants have added vitality to the country’s culture.
Noun
technical
C2
state
3
biological ability to stay alive
In science and medicine, the ability of cells, tissues, or living things to stay alive and work normally.
Usage pattern:
the vitality of [cells/tissue/organisms]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this technical sense with general "energy" and use it in everyday contexts like *"I checked the vitality of my muscles after the gym"*; in everyday speech, "strength" or "health" is more natural, and this sense of "vitality" is mostly for scientific or medical writing.
Synonyms
viability (The standard technical term in biology for whether cells or organisms can live and develop; often interchangeable, though "viability" is more common in scientific writing.)
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life force (More general and sometimes non-technical; can sound less precise or even spiritual compared to the strictly biological meaning of "vitality" in this context.)
Antonyms
necrosis (A medical term for the death of cells or tissue, which directly opposes the idea of living, functioning tissue in "vitality".)
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nonviability (Technical opposite of "viability"; means cells or organisms cannot live or develop, the absence of biological vitality.)
Collocations
cell vitality
|sperm vitality
|plant vitality
|tissue vitality
|assess vitality
|test vitality
Themes
science
|medicine
|biology
|health
Examples
- Researchers measured cell vitality after exposing the culture to the new drug.
- The surgeon checked the vitality of the tissue before completing the procedure.
- Drought conditions severely reduced the vitality of the young plants.
- Sperm vitality is a key factor in many fertility tests.
- Prolonged cold can damage seed vitality and lower germination rates.
Learner examples
- The doctor was worried about the vitality of the damaged tissue.
- Scientists tested the vitality of the cells in the lab.
- Cold weather can lower the vitality of some plants.
- The report says the sperm vitality was low.
- They studied how the drug affects cell vitality.
Grammar
Dictionary form
vitality
IPA
GB/vaɪtˈæləti/
US/vaɪtˈæləti/
Syllables & stress
vi - tal - ity (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tal)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: vitality
- Plural: vitalities, vitality
Word family
Forms
vitalities
noun
Core family
vital
adjective B1
vitally
adverb
Related words
revitalize
verb
revitalization
noun
vitalize
verb
Negative and opposite forms
nonvital
adjective
Advanced or less common
vitalization
noun
Expressions
bursting with vitality
1/bˈɚstɪŋ wˈɪθ vaɪtˈæləti/
fixed phrase
informal
showing extreme lively energy
To have so much energy and life that it is very easy to see.
Examples
- The young puppies were bursting with vitality as they played together.
- She walked into the room bursting with vitality, and everyone noticed her at once.
- After a week at the spa, he returned home bursting with vitality.
economic vitality
1/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪk vaɪtˈæləti/
fixed phrase
strength and activity of an economy
How strong, active, and growing a country’s or region’s economy is.
Examples
- Small businesses are crucial to the economic vitality of rural areas.
- The report warns that rising debt may threaten the nation’s economic vitality.
- Foreign investment has helped restore the city’s economic vitality.
full of vitality
1/fˈʊl əv vaɪtˈæləti/
fixed phrase
having a lot of energy
To be very lively, active, and strong, with a lot of energy.
Examples
- Despite his age, he is still full of vitality and curiosity.
- The children ran around the garden, full of vitality in the afternoon sun.
- After her recovery, she came back to work full of vitality.
youthful vitality
1/jˈuθfəl vaɪtˈæləti/
fixed phrase
energy typical of young people
The strong energy and lively feeling that young people often have.
Examples
- Her youthful vitality made her popular with both students and teachers.
- The team’s youthful vitality brought new ideas to the company.
- He envied the children’s carefree laughter and youthful vitality.