wideawake

1 of 2

noun

wide·​awake ˌwīd-ə-ˈwāk How to pronounce wideawake (audio)
1
: a soft felt hat with a low crown and a wide brim
2

wide-awake

2 of 2

adjective

1
: fully awake
2
: alertly watchful especially for advantages or opportunities
Choose the Right Synonym for wideawake

watchful, vigilant, wide-awake, alert mean being on the lookout especially for danger or opportunity.

watchful is the least explicit term.

the watchful eye of the department supervisor

vigilant suggests intense, unremitting, wary watchfulness.

eternally vigilant in the safeguarding of democracy

wide-awake applies to watchfulness for opportunities and developments more often than dangers.

wide-awake companies latched onto the new technology

alert stresses readiness or promptness in meeting danger or in seizing opportunity.

alert traders anticipated the stock market's slide

Examples of wideawake in a Sentence

Adjective was wide-awake with worry for most of the night investors who were wide-awake bought the stock as soon as it was offered
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
For wide-awake eyes, Mrs. Bieber swipes on Kosas’ Revealer Concealer, which is another multipurpose product. Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 20 Sep. 2024 Forgotten that prayer is a kind of wide-awake drift toward God. Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024 Blackout shades and curtains are a dream for light sleepers and for parents who want wide-awake children to nod off at nap time. Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 27 Feb. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wideawake was in 1658

Dictionary Entries Near wideawake

Cite this Entry

“Wideawake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wideawake. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

wide-awake

adjective
ˌwīd-ə-ˈwāk
1
: fully awake
2
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