wake

1 of 3

verb

woke ˈwōk How to pronounce wake (audio) also waked wākt How to pronounce wake (audio) ; woken ˈwō-kən How to pronounce wake (audio) or waked also woke; waking

intransitive verb

1
a
: to be or remain awake
b
archaic : to remain awake on watch especially over a corpse
c
obsolete : to stay up late in revelry
2
: awake, wake up
They woke early.

transitive verb

1
: to stand watch over (someone or something)
especially : to hold a wake over
2
a
: to rouse from or as if from sleep : awake, wake up
Something woke her in the middle of the night.
b
: stir, excite
an experience that woke old feelings
c
: to arouse conscious interest in : alert
usually used with to
woke the public to the risks
waker noun

wake

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
: the state of being awake
2
a(1)
: an annual English parish festival formerly held in commemoration of the church's patron saint
b
: the festivities originally connected with the wake of an English parish church
usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
c
British : an annual holiday or vacation
usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
3
: a watch held over the body of a dead person prior to burial and sometimes accompanied by festivity

wake

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: the track left by a moving body (such as a ship) in a fluid (such as water)
broadly : a track or path left
2
Phrases
in the wake of
1
: close behind and in the same path of travel
missionaries arrived in the wake of conquistadors and soldiersSabine MacCormack
2
: as a result of : as a consequence of
power vacuums left in the wake of the second world warA. M. Schlesinger born 1917

Examples of wake in a Sentence

Verb She can never remember her dreams upon waking. my banging around in the kitchen woke my wife
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Stephen Brigstocke is likely dreaming of his next attempt on Nicholas’s life when a crashing noise wakes him in the middle of the night. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024 But such is sadly not the case with Jing (Hedwig Tam) and her newborn, the latter of whom spends most of her waking moments crying hysterically. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
Santa has traditionally been more of a character-actor type of role, although in the wake of The Santa Clause in 1994, actors like Kurt Russell have brought their own star images to the myth. Katie Rife, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2024 In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesia’s 2022 presidency highlighted the need for equitable recovery and emphasized issues related to global health and green and digital transitions. Leslie Vinjamuri, Foreign Affairs, 15 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wake 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

partly from Middle English waken (past wook, past participle waken), from Old English wacan to awake (past wōc, past participle wacen); partly from Middle English wakien, waken (past & past participle waked), from Old English wacian to be awake (past wacode, past participle wacod); akin to Old English wæccan to watch, Latin vegēre to enliven

Noun (2)

akin to Middle Low German wake wake, Norwegian dialect vok, Old Norse vǫk hole in ice

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near wake

Cite this Entry

“Wake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wake. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

wake

1 of 3 verb
woke ˈwōk How to pronounce wake (audio) also waked ˈwākt How to pronounce wake (audio) ; woken ˈwō-kən How to pronounce wake (audio) or waked also woke; waking
1
: to be or remain awake
2
: to stand watch over (as a dead body)
especially : to hold a wake over
3
: to arouse from or as if from sleep : awake
often used with up
waker noun

wake

2 of 3 noun
: a time before a dead person is buried when people gather to remember him or her and often to view the body

wake

3 of 3 noun
1
: a track or path left by a moving body (as a ship) in the water
2
Etymology

Verb

from Old English wacan "to awake" and Old English wacian "to be awake"

Noun

of Germanic origin

More from Merriam-Webster on wake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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