awake 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of awakenext
1
as in wakeful
not sleeping or able to sleep was awake until 3:00 a.m.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alert
paying close attention usually for the purpose of anticipating approaching danger or opportunity awake to the possibility of trouble at the demonstration

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

awake

2 of 2

verb

ə-ˈwāk How to pronounce awake (audio)
1
as in to wake
to cause to stop sleeping awoke the boys for breakfast

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to awaken
to cease to be asleep at the sound of breaking glass she awoke with a start

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective awake contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of awake are alive, aware, cognizant, conscious, and sensible. While all these words mean "having knowledge of something," awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

How do alive and sensible relate to one another, in the sense of awake?

Alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something.

alive to the thrill of danger

When is aware a more appropriate choice than awake?

The synonyms aware and awake are sometimes interchangeable, but aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

In what contexts can cognizant take the place of awake?

In some situations, the words cognizant and awake are roughly equivalent. However, cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

When would conscious be a good substitute for awake?

Although the words conscious and awake have much in common, conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.

conscious that my heart was pounding

When is it sensible to use sensible instead of awake?

While the synonyms sensible and awake are close in meaning, sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving especially of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities.

sensible of a teacher's influence

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of awake
Adjective
As bodies pile up, bedtime becomes both a threat and an inevitability, and the desperate effort to stay awake only accelerates reality’s collapse. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025 Masha’s visions of Tatiana keep her awake, suggesting more haunting than healing. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 May 2025
Verb
Yet when Sánchez awoke around 1 a.m. Friday and reflexively checked his phone, there was a response. —Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025 Kenwood and Parkville's regional final baseball game was scoreless through six innings, but the Bluebirds awoke with six runs in the seventh. —James Peters, Baltimore Sun, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for awake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awake
  1. wakeful
  2. alert
  3. wake
  4. awaken
  5. vigilant
  6. watchful
Adjective
  • Tips to Break the Bedtime Screen Habit Dr. Verma, who was not involved in the research, offers the following tips to prevent wakeful effects from smartphones and get better sleep: Avoid screens 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
    — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Lauren Goode: Who among us doesn't want to have a nap gently guided by our wakeful rhythm?
    — Lauren Goode, WIRED, 16 Jan. 2025
Definition of wakeful
Adjective
  • Find the right time: Consider rescheduling strenuous activities to early morning or evening if possible. Be alert to warning signs: Educate yourself about the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2025
  • But her watchful, alert bearing imbues the character with a sort of unspoken backstory.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025
Definition of alert
Verb
  • The Long Gray Line and character At West Point, cadets wake before the sun comes up, shoes shined, uniforms squared away.
    — Brianna Keilar, CNN Money, 22 May 2025
  • Richardson woke him up, saying Leslie was overdosing.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
Definition of wake
Verb
  • Two hours after co-chairing an online meeting of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), she was awakened by missiles striking her town, Kyiv.
    — Joan Michelson, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
  • The girls’ training has awakened the men to request a seminar for the boys.
    — Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 17 May 2025
Definition of awaken
Adjective
  • Recent attempts to use a domestic tragedy as an excuse to restrict homeschooling in the state remind us to be vigilant.
    — Peter Wolfgang, National Review, 27 May 2025
  • Residents are advised to remain vigilant for health and fire risks during the peak heat advisory period and to follow all safety recommendations from public health and weather agencies.
    — Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
Definition of vigilant
Adjective
  • LifeLock Ultimate Plus monitors all three major credit bureaus to maintain a watchful eye on your credit reports and credit score.
    — Advertising Content From Norton, PC Magazine, 28 May 2025
  • Vargas tried to keep a watchful eye over her daughter.
    — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
Definition of watchful

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awake
awaken
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Cite this Entry

“Awake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awake. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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