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

Examples 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 Find your own phone-use balance Don’t compare yourself with others in terms of amount of use but be cognizant of when your use is beneficial versus perhaps leading you to feel stressed or distracted. Shelia R. Cotten, The Conversation, 23 Sep. 2024 Dubai’s decision-makers, ever cognizant of current industry trends, remain committed to providing a yachting experience that prioritizes ease-of-access to the city and its diverse attractions. Dubai Tourism Contributor, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024 Governor DeWine, surely cognizant of the sentiments behind this vote, is reportedly inclined to sign the bill. The Editors, National Review, 25 Nov. 2024 The writers were also cognizant of the fact that another teen drama had already successfully explored the world of rich teens in the Big Apple and didn’t want to retread familiar territory. Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cognizant 

Thesaurus Entries Near cognizant

Cite this Entry

“Cognizant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognizant. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.

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