awakening

noun

awak·​en·​ing ə-ˈwāk-niŋ How to pronounce awakening (audio)
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.
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
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
3
: a coming into awareness
Like his discovery of literature, this intimacy becomes an awakening to the possibilities of life.Morris Dickstein

Examples of awakening in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The awakening of any maternal feelings towards Lyra are delayed and never free of conflict. Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025 Not long after the accident, Thurlow had a religious awakening. Andy Kroll, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025 In what turned out to be an integral building block toward the creation of the famed TLC matches, the first-ever tables match caused an awakening. Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 11 Oct. 2025 In a stunning, unsentimental portrait of a young poet’s rural childhood, familial hardship and resilience are juxtaposed against the artistic awakening of a growing mind. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for awakening

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of awakening was in 1583

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Cite this Entry

“Awakening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awakening. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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