awake 1 of 2

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
The only thing keeping me awake are texts from Ben. Michael Nied, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025 His whole family, including his 5-year-old child, were still awake, waiting to receive him. Scott Detrow, NPR, 24 Aug. 2025
Verb
Their offense, anemic for much of the first half, has awoken during the summer’s dog days. Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 15 Aug. 2025 She was awoken from sleep with a call from her father. Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 15 Aug. 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
  • Aim to exercise outdoors during daylight hours, if possible, and stay alert to your surroundings for safety.
    Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2025
  • That said, since Steal a Brainrot lives on a platform that may pose dangers to kids, parents should stay alert.
    Annabelle Canela, Parents, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • An opportunity to wake a dormant gift.
    Seth Wickersham, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
  • While the relationship didn't become romantic until later on, Umansky and Zingerman spent nearly every waking moment together in high school.
    Emy LaCroix, People.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Gnawing paranoia inevitably awakens Pynchon’s characters to the matrix of control enveloping their lives.
    John Lopez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Many of us in the workforce don’t have the luxury of when to hit the hay or awaken in the morning.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Patients should be sure to report symptoms to their clinicians, and clinicians need to be vigilant and consider Legionnaires’ disease as a possibility.
    Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Leaders must stay vigilant against economic volatility and global health crises.
    Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • An earnest and thoughtful executive with a warm, open demeanor, Pinault was seated at Monday’s interview under a large black-and-white painting of an owl, the mascot for Kering — and a metaphor for his watchful eyes on shifting consumer sentiment and economic fluctuations.
    Miles Socha, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Williams said staff will be extra watchful as students process Wilson’s death.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Awake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awake. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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