Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective aware contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of aware are alive, awake, cognizant, conscious, and sensible. While all these words mean "having knowledge of something," aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

How are the words alive and sensible related as synonyms of aware?

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

alive to the thrill of danger

When could awake be used to replace aware?

While the synonyms awake and aware are close in meaning, awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

When might cognizant be a better fit than aware?

While in some cases nearly identical to aware, cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

When is it sensible to use conscious instead of aware?

In some situations, the words conscious and aware are roughly equivalent. However, conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.

conscious that my heart was pounding

In what contexts can sensible take the place of aware?

The words sensible and aware are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving especially of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities.

sensible of a teacher's influence

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of aware Food banks and charitable organizations are all too aware that this could impact them. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025 Be aware of factors that can worsen your allergic reaction Rubin uses a concept called the allergy symptom threshold to explain how exposure to multiple allergens, along with other factors, can trigger symptoms. Andrea Muraskin, NPR, 19 Apr. 2025 Gong and his family members are aware of the filmmakers, even mention the filming, yet remain largely unselfconscious in front of the cameras. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 29 Mar. 2025 Our brains are aware of inconsistencies in the imagery at a detailed level, even if the exact nature of these inconsistencies eludes our conscious perception. Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for aware
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aware
Adjective
  • The victim, a man in his 20s, was alert and conscious and was transported to an area hospital for treatment, Boisvert said.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2025
  • First responders arrived at the scene around 10:03 a.m. to find Joseph conscious and alert, the sheriff's office said.
    Doc Louallen, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Image Set in Brooklyn in the summer of 2022, the action takes place in the apartment of Emmy, a playwright freshly cognizant of the danger of being too broke to afford health insurance.
    Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
  • There’s a hierarchy as far as veterans and younger guys, and guys are super cognizant of that, and respectful.
    Kevin Kurz, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • In the long term, the Vikings must be mindful of the makeup of the receiver room.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Guests should be mindful of hallway conversations, especially during quiet hours.
    Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And critics are still wary of its original incentive model, which offered cryptocurrency (Worldcoin tokens) to those who signed up.
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • From the start, two things are abundantly clear: Indy is wary of the creepy old house, and his affection for Todd is unwavering.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 1 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aware.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aware. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on aware

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!