alert 1 of 3

alert

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verb

as in to warn
to give notice to beforehand especially of danger or risk alerted us to the possibility that the roads would be flooded and we might have to take a detour

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

alert

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adjective

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2
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as in intelligent
having or showing quickness of mind an alert and well-trained sheep dog who can handle difficult situations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective alert contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of alert are vigilant, watchful, and wide-awake. While all these words mean "being on the lookout especially for danger or opportunity," alert stresses readiness or promptness in meeting danger or in seizing opportunity.

alert traders anticipated the stock market's slide

When can vigilant be used instead of alert?

The synonyms vigilant and alert are sometimes interchangeable, but vigilant suggests intense, unremitting, wary watchfulness.

eternally vigilant in the safeguarding of democracy

When might watchful be a better fit than alert?

In some situations, the words watchful and alert are roughly equivalent. However, watchful is the least explicit term.

the watchful eye of the department supervisor

When could wide-awake be used to replace alert?

The words wide-awake and alert can be used in similar contexts, but wide-awake applies to watchfulness for opportunities and developments more often than dangers.

wide-awake companies latched onto the new technology

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 alert
Noun
Do not burn debris or other items during an air quality alert. Ca Weather Bot, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2025 To monitor other local risk, residents are advised to sign up for county alert systems and to monitor agencies’ social media. Bay Area Weather Report, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
Police dogs alerted officers to more than six tons of cocaine concealed under bananas in a port outside Guayaquil last July, officials reported. David Culver, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025 Kelly McClanahan, an attorney representing plaintiffs in a lawsuit claiming DOGE’s setup doesn’t comply with federal law, submitted a new court filing alerting the judge to Trump’s remarks minutes after his speech concluded. Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
These processes also should be welcomed by Americans alert to the health conditions that Kennedy has set out as his starting priorities: rising rates of chronic illness, childhood obesity, and medication of children. Michael Bernick, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025 Original Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $9.99 (50% off) True Wireless Bone Conduction Earphones These earphones conduct sound to your eardrums via your cheekbones, giving your ear canals a break and keeping you alert to outside sounds while still furnishing hi-fi audio. Ho Lin, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alert
Noun
  • Heeding several tornado warnings from the National Weather Service that pinged on their cell phones just after 8:30 a.m., the unnamed couple quickly sought shelter in a safe room in a corner of their home, county officials said.
    Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Flood advisory: Be aware: A flood advisory is released when flooding is not expected to reach a severity level necessitating a warning.
    Southern California Weather Report, Orange County Register, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Big box retailers have already warned of price hikes on household goods and grocery items imported from the two nations–much to the detriment of working families, small businesses, and the many already suffering under heavy inflationary pressure.
    Richard Fowler, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Green was removed from the chamber at the order of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who warned him several times to stop interrupting Trump.
    Dan Mangan, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Blue light from screens and other sources can keep your brain awake and interfere with the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
    Kristen Rogers, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The idea is to match daylight to the period that most people are awake.
    Callum Booth, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Some loyal Tesla bulls are treating the drop as a temporary setback (or even a buying opportunity), while more cautious investors are rethinking their exposure.
    Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • He’s played fewer than 15 minutes in every game since his return, and while his minutes will ramp up, the Knicks have to be cautious with a player coming off two stress fractures in the same ankle.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Put differently, intelligent onboarding can enable financial service providers to reach thin-file and difficult-to-identify demographics while reducing dropout rates.
    James Bruni, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • What’s more, Asian elephants are highly social, highly intelligent, and endangered, raising intractable ethical obstacles to experimenting on them.
    Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • But the Oscar winner is quick to remind his kids that his millions aren’t theirs to spend.
    Nicolas Vega, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025
  • While the sheer number of krill in the Southern Ocean means the species is unlikely to face an acute threat to its survival in the near term, Savoca is quick to point out that numbers are no guarantee of success.
    Gabe Castro-Root, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • On Tuesday at 1:37 a.m. a high wind watch was issued by the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA valid from Wednesday 2 p.m. until Thursday 2 a.m. for San Luis Obispo County Interior Valleys and San Luis Obispo County Mountains.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacramento Bee, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Meanwhile, a flood watch is in place for Southern California.
    Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Even in a market full of whales and insiders, everyday investors can still succeed by staying vigilant, sticking to sound strategies, and keeping a long-term perspective.
    Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
  • With scammers becoming more sophisticated each year, the IRS is urging taxpayers to stay vigilant and take extra precautions when filing their returns.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Alert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alert. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

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