vicariously

2 definitions • 4 examples

in a vicarious way (= experienced through the activities of other people, rather than by doing something yourself):

Some parents seem to live vicariously through their children.

People like to vicariously experience that kind of danger.

If you are vicariously responsible for a crime, you are legally responsible for it even though you did not do it yourself:

The owner of a motor vehicle is vicariously responsible for injuries even though he is not driving the car.

An employer could be vicariously liable for acts of harassment committed by employees.