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

There were plenty of naysayers, yet the tenacity and sheer determination led to an awakening that has now spawned places like Atomix, Oiji Mi, koji etc. —Kristin L. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025

Women are more likely to point to frequent awakenings or restless sleep, Dr. Won says. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 25 June 2025

In one of the film’s most exquisite moments, Casey shows Jin, from the banal setting of her car, the building that sparked her aesthetic awakening; then her hand, holding a cigarette, traces the building’s outlines, as seen from her own ardently abstracting perspective. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 20 June 2025

Some context, however, does seem necessary for Aunt Lydia, who had an awakening in the sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale. —Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing awakening

• rude awakening

Rhymes for awakening

• reawakening
• wakening