Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective cognizant contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cognizant are alive, awake, aware, conscious, and sensible. While all these words mean "having knowledge of something," cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

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

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

alive to the thrill of danger

When would awake be a good substitute for cognizant?

The words awake and cognizant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

In what contexts can aware take the place of cognizant?

The meanings of aware and cognizant largely overlap; however, aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

When might conscious be a better fit than cognizant?

Although the words conscious and cognizant 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 can sensible be used instead of cognizant?

While in some cases nearly identical to cognizant, 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 cognizant Memory foam tends to trap heat, so be cognizant of your sleep temperature and overall needs. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 28 July 2025 The Cubs are cognizant of a future that may not include Kyle Tucker, who’s positioned to be next winter’s No. 1 free agent. Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 27 July 2025 Cease was highly complimentary of Díaz but also cognizant of Maldonado’s work. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2025 Mamdani held the advantage of being a media-savvy millennial who appeared singularly cognizant of the benefits of harnessing the internet to spread his message in a race where Cuomo held the power of instant name recognition. Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for cognizant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cognizant
aware
Adjective
  • Two days after becoming aware of it, Christianson met with the police, who were pessimistic on whether the city would be able to get its money back.
    David Clarey, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Partnerships With Purpose & Impact Partnerships have been a loyalty staple for decades, but the newest wave is more context-aware.
    Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cognizant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognizant. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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