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.

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

Jackson inspired Tatum to take control of an awakening that had grown inside of him from watching civil rights icons and documentaries. —Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Feb. 2026

She was born in the 70s, and her own feminist awakening happened with her first job out of college. —Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026

Everyone’s personal experience of the pizza, or of the healing, or of the spiritual awakening, Gilbert said, was going to be completely different. —Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026

Tap trees at Great Parks Maple Sugar Days Celebrate the Maple Sugar trees' spring awakening with a weekend of family fun and sweet, amber sap. —Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing awakening

• rude awakening

Rhymes for awakening

• reawakening
• wakening