1
2
3
4
5

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective alive contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of alive are awake, aware, cognizant, conscious, and sensible. While all these words mean "having knowledge of something," alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something.

alive to the thrill of danger

When could awake be used to replace alive?

In some situations, the words awake and alive are roughly equivalent. However, awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

Where would aware be a reasonable alternative to alive?

While in some cases nearly identical to alive, aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

When would cognizant be a good substitute for alive?

While the synonyms cognizant and alive are close in meaning, cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

When can conscious be used instead of alive?

The words conscious and alive can be used in similar contexts, but conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.

conscious that my heart was pounding

When is sensible a more appropriate choice than alive?

Although the words sensible and alive have much in common, 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 alive The report arrives as Apple fights to keep this income stream alive. Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 9 May 2025 And besides, Reyes doesn’t have to kill the Ghost — just bring them back alive. Joe Leydon, Variety, 8 May 2025 Sunny and Gizmo have only been alive for a few weeks but have already garnered quite a few fans. Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025 In the game series, it's assumed that Bill is still alive when Ellie, Joel and Tess leave. Jessica Sager, People.com, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alive
Adjective
  • Under Proposition 309, voters casting mail-in ballots could provide a driver's license or non-operating identification license number, the last four digits of a social security number, or a unique identifying number provided by the secretary of state for voter registration purposes.
    Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 27 Oct. 2022
  • The adjusted net income decreased by 8% y-o-y to $3.9 billion in the first nine months of 2022 due to higher expenses as a % of revenues and lower non-operating income.
    Trefis Team, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2023
Adjective
  • This process is vital for learning and memory and for being conscious and aware.
    David Oliver, USA Today, 16 May 2025
  • Everyone is aware of the noise from the media and on the message boards (shoutout Lakers reddit), no one is acting like a trade is going to happen this summer for a couple of reasons.
    Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • The fatal blow was caught on camera, as Marquez was actively filming live content on TikTok for her followers.
    Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 15 May 2025
  • Goldberg powered through the live broadcast with a virtual whisper.
    Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • New hotels are addressing the long-standing lack of good accommodations, and the harbor is now a busy stop for cruise ships bound for Lisbon and Málaga.
    Christopher Bagley, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2025
  • Topline Newark Liberty International Airport experienced a lengthy air traffic control outage Sunday morning, shortly before Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the airport should scale back its operations amid air traffic control issues at the busy New Jersey airport.
    Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Adjective
  • In addition, women often have to deal with what Biggins describes as operational overload.
    Trevor Clawson, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
  • There are at least seventeen currently operational rotating restaurants in the United States, the closest being the Skydome Restaurant in Arlington, Virginia, but the disappointing memory of Stouffer’s was Meyer’s only benchmark.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • But the elephant bird made even the ostrich – which holds the title as the world’s largest extant bird – look petite.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
  • Similarly, the detractors against building the Red Line argue that this expenditure on public funds is a boondoggle because the extant light rail line (now called Light RailLink) doesn’t work very well.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 May 2025
Adjective
  • Such seemingly minor biographical details are what animate L’Enchanteur, which was born in 2012 after Soull and Dynasty merged their independent labels—Alkhemi9 and BRZÉ, respectively.
    Thessaly La Force, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Users do have creative freedom — freedom to learn to draw, animate, write, score, or direct their own projects.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In a thriving and competitive women's division, the consistent presence of a talent like Bliss would undoubtedly provide a substantial boost, injecting another layer of depth, star power, and compelling storylines into the roster.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Economic Growth: Promoting policies that attract businesses, support local entrepreneurship, and ensure access to opportunities for all residents, contributing to a thriving and sustainable Fort Worth economy.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Alive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alive. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on alive

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!