Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

awake

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of awake

1 not sleeping or able to sleep
  • was awake until 3:00 a.m.
Synonyms of awake

insomniac, sleepless, wakeful, wide-awake
Words Related to awake

aroused, awakened, roused, rousted, wakened

about, astir, up

aware, conscious

revived

reawakened
Near Antonyms of awake

dozy, drowsy, nodding, sleepy, slumberous (or slumbrous), somnolent

dreaming

hypnotized, mesmerized
Antonyms of awake

asleep, dormant, dozing, napping, resting, sleeping, slumbering, unawakened
2 paying close attention usually for the purpose of anticipating approaching danger or opportunity
  • awake to the possibility of fortunes to be made
Synonyms of awake

alert, Argus-eyed, attentive, observant, open-eyed, vigilant, watchful, wide-awake
Words Related to awake

alive, aware, conscious, sensitive

cognizant, heedful, keen, mindful, observing, regardful, sharp, sharp-eyed

hyperalert, hypervigilant, sleepless, wakeful

careful, cautious, chary, wary

prepared, ready
Phrases Synonymous with awake

on guard, on one's toes, on the alert, on the ball, on tiptoe
Near Antonyms of awake

absent, absentminded, absorbed, abstracted, daydreaming, dazed, distracted, dreaming, dreamy, engrossed, faraway, insensible, oblivious, preoccupied

sleeping, unaware, unconscious, unknowing, unwitting

careless, heedless, inattentive, unheeding, unmindful, unthinking, unwary

unprepared, unready
Antonyms of awake

asleep

Synonym Discussion of awake

aware, cognizant, conscious, sensible, alive, awake mean having knowledge of something. aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.
    • aware of changes in climate
cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.
    • not fully cognizant of the facts
conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.
    • conscious that my heart was pounding
sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving especially of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities.
    • sensible of a teacher's influence
alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something.
    • alive to the thrill of danger
awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.
    • a country always awake to the threat of invasion

awake

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of awake

1 to cause to stop sleeping
  • awoke the boys for breakfast
Synonyms of awake

arouse, awaken, rouse, wake, waken
Words Related to awake

roust, rout

raise, revive

reawaken, rewake

agitate, bestir, disturb, excite, provoke, stimulate, stir
Near Antonyms of awake

hypnotize, mesmerize
Antonyms of awake

lull
2 to cease to be asleep
  • At the sound of breaking glass she awoke with a start.
Synonyms of awake

arouse, awaken, rouse, wake, waken
Words Related to awake

arise, get up, rise, roll out, turn out, uprise

watch

revive

reawaken, rewake

shift, stir
Near Antonyms of awake

catnap, conk (off or out), doze, drop off, nap, nod, rest, sleep, slumber, snooze

bed (down), couch, flop, retire, sack out, turn in

lie up, sleep in

oversleep

Learn More about awake

  1. See words that rhyme with awake Dictionary: Definition of awake Spanish Central: Translation of awake Nglish: Translation of awake for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of awake for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up awake? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games