alert

1 of 3

adjective

ə-ˈlərt 

1

a

: watchful and prompt to meet danger or emergency

an alert guard

trying to stay alert to possible problems

b

: quick to perceive and act

mentally alert

2

: active, brisk

elicited an alert response

alertly adverb

alertness noun

alert

2 of 3

noun

1

: a state of careful watching and readiness especially for danger or opportunity

on 24-hour alert

2

a

: an alarm or other signal of danger

traffic alerts

They sounded the alert.

b

: an urgent notice

… an alert to parents … about new immunization requirements.

—Ann Schrader

3

: the period during which an alert is in effect

alert

3 of 3

verb

alerted; alerting; alerts

transitive verb

1

: to call (someone) to a state of readiness : warn

alerted the school board of a possible teachers' strike

alert the authorities

2

: to make (someone) aware of something

alerted the public to the dangers of pesticides

Phrases

on the alert

: looking for or expecting something (such as danger or an opportunity)

Drivers need to be on the alert for icy condition.

always on the alert for a good bargain

Synonyms

Adjective

• Argus-eyed
• attentive
• awake
• observant
• open-eyed
• tenty [Scottish]
• tentie
• vigilant
• watchful
• wide-awake

Noun

• admonishment
• admonition
• alarm
• alarum
• caution
• forewarning
• heads-up
• notice
• warning

Verb

• advise
• caution
• forewarn
• wake
• warn

Choose the Right Synonym for alert

watchful, vigilant, wide-awake, alert mean being on the lookout especially for danger or opportunity.

watchful is the least explicit term.

the watchful eye of the department supervisor

vigilant suggests intense, unremitting, wary watchfulness.

eternally vigilant in the safeguarding of democracy

wide-awake applies to watchfulness for opportunities and developments more often than dangers.

wide-awake companies latched onto the new technology

alert stresses readiness or promptness in meeting danger or in seizing opportunity.

alert traders anticipated the stock market's slide

intelligent, clever, alert, quick-witted mean mentally keen or quick.

intelligent stresses success in coping with new situations and solving problems.

an intelligent person could assemble it fast

clever implies native ability or aptness and sometimes suggests a lack of more substantial qualities.

clever with words

alert stresses quickness in perceiving and understanding.

alert to new technology

quick-witted implies promptness in finding answers in debate or in devising expedients in moments of danger or challenge.

no match for his quick-witted opponent

Examples of alert in a Sentence

Adjective

An alert guard stopped the robbers.

He was tired and had trouble staying alert while he was driving.

She wasn't mentally alert enough to answer the questions.

An alert watchdog guarded the door.

Noun

They sounded an alert when enemy planes were approaching the city.

Medical officials have put out an alert to hospitals to look out for the virus.

The government has issued a terrorism alert.

Verb

Several neighbors alerted the authorities when they noticed strangers acting suspiciously.

The governor alerted island residents that a hurricane was coming.

The teacher alerted the students that tests would be given the next day.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Some residents voiced concerns about the alert system because not everyone was notified. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024

Cybersecurity software firm MalwareBytes Labs noted the same timeline and advised readers to be alert for scammers pretending to be from AT&T. —Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2024

There’s also the ongoing issue of alert fatigue; adding another tool to monitor can exacerbate the problem. —Ken Carnesi, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

Once the gold arrives, Custer said, the swindlers need only to persuade their targets to hand it over — a strategy that avoids the victim having to physically go into a bank to withdraw money, which can raise the suspicions of alert tellers and bankers. —Dan Morse, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2024

Time is on your side, and your mind is alert and ready for action when the right moment occurs. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024

California, Colorado and Washington are among the states that have launched their own alert systems to assist in search efforts for an Indigenous person who has been reported missing. —Chelsea Bailey, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024

The alert skier veers to the right as the avalanche continues down the slope to avoid being caught up in the cascading snow, the video shows. —Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024

We're told the firefighter is stable and alert this morning. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Mar. 2024

Noun

Developers propose $150M redevelopment on 9 acres in Fort Worth’s Near Southside → Man charged with murder in Fort Worth shooting that killed teen 🚨Get free alerts when news breaks. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Apr. 2024

More than 230,000 Israelis have taken out gun licenses, in a constant state of high alert. —William Booth, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024

Wind alerts are in effect for nearly 18 million people from Texas to North Dakota. —Taylor Ward, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024

This article appears in the April/May 2024 issue of Fortune. Join our Fortune Features list to receive breaking news alerts from our newsroom and our latest stories. —Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024

Two Iranian officials who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly said that Iran had placed all its armed forces on full high alert and that a decision had been made that Iran must respond directly to the Damascus attack to create deterrence. —Ronen Bergman, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024

Officials say an investigation is underway to determine why not all Taiwanese received a nationwide alert issued following the quake. —USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024

Although the weather service reports warned of conditions where tornadoes were possible, the records show no alert of tornadoes reported or seen on radar in Benton, Washington or Carroll counties. —Doug Thompson, arkansasonline.com, 3 Apr. 2024

An official alert did not reach residents until 8 A.M., by which time many were stranded in their attics or on their roofs. —Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024

Verb

According to the league's website, an exemplary Indy City Futbol player is one who is enthusiastic; has a positive and welcoming attitude to people from all backgrounds, religions, orientations and experiences; is teachable; and is willing to stand up to or alert the league to bullies and jerks. —Alexandria Burris, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024

After a dog alerted to the backpack, administrators also searched the desk and backpack of 29-year-old Kristopher Connett, a teacher at the school, and found the pill bottles in the bag, police said. —Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024

When alerted, users can choose whether to enable Rest Mode or lower their daily activity goal to prioritize rest. —Victoria Song, The Verge, 3 Apr. 2024

Albuquerque police were alerted to a shoplifting incident at a local Walgreens late last month while patrolling the area. —USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024

The Milwaukee’s lookout, Dennis Harrington, saw the lights of the Hickox and alerted his captain. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024

Both coaches were alerted to the situation at the time. —Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024

Walk on the wild side The Instant Wild project shares media from camera traps so that volunteers can alert researchers to animals captured in the photos and video (Credit: Instant Wild). —Bob Hirshon, Discover Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024

In the weeks to come, the researchers would alert government authorities and designate the area as an official excavation site to ward off potential treasure hunters. —Rafael Vilela, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from French alerte, going back to Middle French a l'herte "on guard, on the watch," borrowed from Italian all'erta, originally in the collocation stare all'erta "to be on the watch," literally, "to be on the height" (with erta "height, hill, steep ascent," noun derivative from feminine of erto, past participle of ergere "to raise, elevate," going back to Vulgar Latin *ērgere, by syncope from Latin ērigere) — more at erect entry 1

Note: The earliest citation for the word in the Oxford English Dictionary suggests direct borrowing from Italian, or at least recognition of an Italian source: "In this place the Prince [of Orange] finding his rutters [cavalry soldiers] alert, (as the Italians say) with aduise of his valiant brother, hee sent his Trumpets to D. d' Alua …." (Sir Roger Williams, The Actions of the Lowe Countries, London, 1618, p. 27).

Noun

noun derivative of alert entry 1 (or borrowed from French alerte, derivative of alerte, adjective)

Verb

verbal derivative of alert entry 1 or alert entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing alert

• on the alert
• red alert
• hyper-alert
• spoiler alert

Kids Definition

alert

1 of 3 adjective

ə-ˈlərt 

1

a

: being watchful and ready to meet danger

b

: quick to understand and act

2

: active sense 3, brisk

alertly adverb

alertness noun

alert

2 of 3 noun

1

: a signal of danger

2

: the period during which an alert is in effect

alert

3 of 3 verb

: to call to a state of readiness : warn