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awake

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective awake contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of awake are alive, aware, cognizant, conscious, and sensible. While all these words mean "having knowledge of something," awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

How do alive and sensible relate to one another, in the sense of awake?

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

alive to the thrill of danger

When is aware a more appropriate choice than awake?

The synonyms aware and awake are sometimes interchangeable, but aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

In what contexts can cognizant take the place of awake?

In some situations, the words cognizant and awake are roughly equivalent. However, cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

When would conscious be a good substitute for awake?

Although the words conscious and awake have much in common, 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 it sensible to use sensible instead of awake?

While the synonyms sensible and awake are close in meaning, 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 awake
Adjective
Used consistently, the CryoGlow can even boost circulation and support lymphatic drainage, leaving skin looking fresher and more awake. Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2025 Later, in the scene in which Winnifred is kept awake by a single pea, Burnett performed a prolonged pantomime of violent physical discomfort, thrashing and dangling like a fish on a line atop a towering stack of mattresses. Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
Tirso Ornelas’ seventh-inning grand slam triggered a late-game awaking as Triple-A El Paso beat host Sugar Land 13-2 on Wednesday. Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Sep. 2025 In his remarks on Tuesday, Shapiro recounted how he was awoken to a knock on the door from a state trooper who told him and his family to evacuate the mansion. Brandon Conradis, The Hill, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for awake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awake
Adjective
  • Tips to Break the Bedtime Screen Habit Dr. Verma, who was not involved in the research, offers the following tips to prevent wakeful effects from smartphones and get better sleep: Avoid screens 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
    Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Lauren Goode: Who among us doesn't want to have a nap gently guided by our wakeful rhythm?
    Lauren Goode, WIRED, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Be alert to anything that seems suspicious; this could be a person’s behavior, unclaimed packages, unusual activity, and vehicles.
    Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Residents are advised to remain alert to rapidly changing weather conditions and to follow safety guidance from local emergency officials.
    Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Resident Armando Vierra, an Army veteran, said the explosion woke him up and shook his house, nearly five miles from the plant.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Reju isn’t the first company that has sought to wake New Yorkers up to a problem that’s literally mounting, if somewhat out of sight thousands of miles away.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Los Angeles in the fall awakens the senses.
    Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2025
  • In addition to awakening her creativity, the potion also unleashes a number of dark monsters that inhabit her subconscious, one of which is her mother, who appears transformed into a hairy monster that Mia is forced to confront.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Stay informed, stay vigilant, and prioritize safety when enjoying the surf.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2025
  • People residing along the Eastern Seaboard, particularly those in coastal areas, are urged to follow local weather guidance and remain vigilant as the storm takes shape.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Reuters — American golfer Vince Whaley had a particularly nerve-wracking encounter with a big-toothed onlooker at the Sanderson Farms Championship on Sunday, as he was forced to play a shot under the watchful gaze of a lurking alligator.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The show follows Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam), an unassuming and odd man, working his family’s farm under the watchful eye of his hateful and vicious mother, Augusta (Laurie Metcalf).
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Awake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awake. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

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