1
: having or showing realization, perception, or knowledge
be aware of the danger
aware of the latest advances in medicine
2
archaic : watchful, wary
Choose the Right Synonym for aware

aware, cognizant, conscious, sensible, alive, awake mean having knowledge of something.

aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.

conscious that my heart was pounding

sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving especially of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities.

sensible of a teacher's influence

alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something.

alive to the thrill of danger

awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

Examples of aware in a Sentence

Are you aware how important you are to me? She is one of the most aware people I know.
Recent Examples on the Web While the Board of Regents and the state’s three public universities have all extended their priority deadlines for the application, those involved fear some students may miss other scholarship deadlines because others were not aware of the roadblocks. The Arizona Republic, 10 Mar. 2024 From within the maternal mortality crisis to diagnoses related to cardiovascular disease and cancer, Black families need to be aware of medical discrimination and protect themselves against it. Pamela Appea, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024 After the board dispatched Altman, board chair Brockman, who wasn’t aware of what the rest of the board was up to, quit and posted it on X. Hundreds of employees followed up with an open letter to the board seeking their rehiring. Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024 In Wednesday’s filings, Tracy alleges that after making MSU aware of the phone call in late 2022, MSU investigated her claims and assured her of confidentiality. Jeff Winter, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 Unfortunately, Melina is not aware of how the adult world is organized and how things will probably play out. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 While that’s certainly a nice offer, be aware that there’s a $100 deposit minimum and a 30-day expiry period attached. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 But some people aren’t aware of the credits or miss out due to language and cultural challenges, said Marquez. Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Most fans — both of City and its rivals — are well aware of Rodri’s significance, and not just because of his helpful habit of scoring crucial goals in high-stakes games. Rory Smith, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aware.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English iwar, iwarre, going back to Old English gewær, going back to West Germanic *gawaro- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German giwar "cognizant"), from *ga-, perfective, associative and collective prefix + Germanic *waro- "cognizant, watchful" — more at com-, ware entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of aware was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near aware

Cite this Entry

“Aware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aware. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

aware

adjective
ə-ˈwa(ə)r How to pronounce aware (audio)
-ˈwe(ə)r
: having or showing understanding or knowledge : conscious
awareness noun

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