Synonyms of alive

alive

adjective

ə-ˈlīv 

1

as in breathing

having or showing life

we were relieved to find that the little bird was still alive after crashing into the plate glass window

Synonyms & Similar Words

• breathing
• live
• animate
• living
• active
• thriving
• animated
• lively
• surviving
• vibrant
• resurrected
• dynamic
• quick
• going
• vivacious
• existing
• vigorous
• existent
• vital
• current
• extant
• prevailing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dead
• deceased
• dying
• cold
• expired
• departed
• lifeless
• inanimate
• asleep
• breathless
• defunct
• moribund
• fading
• nonliving
• gone
• stillborn
• resting
• absent
• vanished
• extinct
• terminated
• ghostly
• finished
• lost
• fallen
• nonexistent
• ghostlike
• wiped out
• lapsed
• barren
• desert
• reposing
• perished
• zombielike
• ghosty

2

as in buzzing

marked by much life, movement, or activity

the mall was alive with holiday shoppers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• buzzing
• busy
• thriving
• vibrant
• humming
• lively
• crowded
• populous
• abuzz
• bustling
• flourishing
• happening
• brisk
• animated
• kinetic
• stirring
• rousing
• abubble
• astir
• aboil
• hopping
• teeming
• swarming
• overflowing
• abounding
• thronging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dead
• inactive
• lifeless
• sleepy
• asleep

3

as in operating

being in effective operation

kept the cause of peace alive despite severe setbacks in relations between the two nations

Synonyms & Similar Words

• operating
• operational
• operative
• functioning
• going
• running
• active
• live
• on
• working
• in force
• operable
• functional
• in commission
• living
• viable
• into commission
• on line
• effective
• in gear
• useable
• producing
• employable
• useful
• effectual
• flourishing
• serving
• performing
• thriving
• usable
• busy
• humming
• productive
• workable
• dynamic
• yielding
• bustling
• roaring
• astir

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dead
• broken
• inactive
• inoperative
• nonfunctional
• nonfunctioning
• useless
• nonoperative
• ineffective
• nonactivated
• nonoperational
• ineffectual
• kaput
• arrested
• kaputt
• nonoperating
• deactivated
• dormant
• decommissioned
• lifeless
• unusable
• inert
• inoperable
• idle
• latent
• unworkable
• quiescent
• asleep
• sleepy
• fallow
• unproductive
• nonproductive
• stagnating
• vegetating

4

as in existing

having being at the present time

describes her boyfriend as the sweetest guy alive

Synonyms & Similar Words

• existing
• extant
• existent
• living
• active
• operating
• functioning
• busy
• around
• working
• flourishing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dead
• extinct
• destroyed
• gone
• defunct
• departed
• lost
• nonextant
• exterminated
• nonexistent
• inactive
• inert
• kaput
• idle
• kaputt

5

as in aware

having specified facts or feelings actively impressed on the mind

alive to the need for major improvements in the school system

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aware
• conscious
• cognizant
• sentient
• mindful
• apprehensive
• ware
• regardful
• sensible
• wary
• vigilant
• careful
• cautious
• witting
• watchful
• attentive
• safe
• alert
• wide-awake
• observant
• heedful
• open-eyed
• hyperaware
• hyperconscious

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unconscious
• unaware
• oblivious
• unmindful
• insensible
• unwitting
• careless
• heedless
• unguarded
• mindless
• inattentive
• unwary
• incautious
• unheeding

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

Recent Examples of alive

The ability to swim in the ocean or skate on a frozen lake is a gift, a license to partake in some of the joys of being alive. —Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2025

Hamas is still holding 50 hostages in Gaza, of whom around 20 are believed to be alive. —Maayan Lubell, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025

But eighteen years later, in a world transformed by climate change, her triplet daughters discover her apocalypse guide… and clues that their mother might still be alive. —Natalie Zutter august 1, Literary Hub, 1 Aug. 2025

The child was alive and was being evaluated, officials said. —Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 1 Aug. 2025

Phrases Containing alive

• eat alive