awakening
noun
awak·en·ing
ə-ˈwāk-niŋ 
ə-ˈwā-kə-
plural awakenings
1
: a rousing from sleep
The night terror is an abrupt awakening early in the night, most often within the first hour or two of sleep …—
Franklin Galvin et al.
Franklin Galvin et al.2
a
: a rousing from inactivity or indifference
… one of the primary branches of yoga … prescribes various practices to assist the yogi in the gradual awakening of the heart.—James Bailey
James Bailey
b
: a revival of interest in something (such as religion)
Russian Jews themselves experienced a cultural and political awakening after Israel's victory, some openly challenging their government's ban on religious and Hebrew training.—Jonathan D. Sarna
Jonathan D. Sarna3
: a coming into awareness
Like his discovery of literature, this intimacy becomes an awakening to the possibilities of life.—Morris Dickstein
Morris DicksteinExamples of awakening in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The gray-green of this spring provides a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, texture and tone, awakening and dormancy.
—Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Apr. 2024
Do some spring cleaning Go outside and enjoy nature
Brainstorm new goals and projects
Spiritual meaning of spring equinox 2024
The spring equinox and the start of the spring season celebrate an awakening and rebirth of the Earth, as well as growth.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 16 Mar. 2024
The most recent wave of laws extend to even liberal enclaves like San Francisco, a marked turn from reforms passed years ago in the wake of George Floyd's murder, which sparked a mass awakening to the inequities of the criminal justice system.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024
The work took her to international locales like Paris and London for weeks, but she was not fulfilled.
Attending church service one Sunday in 2017 at Miami Gardens’ Antioch Missionary Baptist Church was the catalyst to Martin’s creative awakening.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024
Related Stories Spaceman The Bottom Line A sentimental awakening rendered banal by its cosmic setting.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024
Regardless of what happens next, the recent volcanic awakening has irrevocably altered the Reykjanes Peninsula—and the entire country.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2024
The Russian awakening to the importance of drones coincided with the stabilization of the front lines, around August 2022.
—IEEE Spectrum, 10 Apr. 2024
That content, outside the reach of state censorship, had stirred a political awakening for their generation, which makes up around half of the country’s electorate.
—Zia Ur-Rehman Saiyna Bashir, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2024
Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Apr. 2024
Do some spring cleaning Go outside and enjoy nature
Brainstorm new goals and projects
Spiritual meaning of spring equinox 2024
The spring equinox and the start of the spring season celebrate an awakening and rebirth of the Earth, as well as growth.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 16 Mar. 2024
The most recent wave of laws extend to even liberal enclaves like San Francisco, a marked turn from reforms passed years ago in the wake of George Floyd's murder, which sparked a mass awakening to the inequities of the criminal justice system.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024
The work took her to international locales like Paris and London for weeks, but she was not fulfilled.
Attending church service one Sunday in 2017 at Miami Gardens’ Antioch Missionary Baptist Church was the catalyst to Martin’s creative awakening.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024
Related Stories Spaceman The Bottom Line A sentimental awakening rendered banal by its cosmic setting.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024
Regardless of what happens next, the recent volcanic awakening has irrevocably altered the Reykjanes Peninsula—and the entire country.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2024
The Russian awakening to the importance of drones coincided with the stabilization of the front lines, around August 2022.
—IEEE Spectrum, 10 Apr. 2024
That content, outside the reach of state censorship, had stirred a political awakening for their generation, which makes up around half of the country’s electorate.
—Zia Ur-Rehman Saiyna Bashir, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'awakening.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Awakening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awakening. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
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