notify

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb notify differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of notify are acquaint, apprise, and inform. While all these words mean "to make one aware of something," notify implies sending notice of something requiring attention or demanding action.

notified the witness when to appear

When can acquaint be used instead of notify?

Although the words acquaint and notify have much in common, acquaint lays stress on introducing to or familiarizing with.

acquaint yourself with the keyboard

When might apprise be a better fit than notify?

In some situations, the words apprise and notify are roughly equivalent. However, apprise implies communicating something of special interest or importance.

keep us apprised of the situation

When could inform be used to replace notify?

While in some cases nearly identical to notify, inform implies the imparting of knowledge especially of facts or occurrences.

informed us of the crisis

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 notify Highest Risk Warning for Chocolate Recall Golden Raisin Recall Sparks Life-Threatening Warning Ice Cream Recall Update as FDA Issues Risk Warning The bakery, operating as Crest Hill Bakery, notified the FDA after an employee discovered a glass fragment during a routine inspection. Matt Cannon, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025 When the man didn’t show up, his family notified the sheriff’s office at approximately 10:30 p.m. Just after midnight, search and rescue coordinators discovered Sawyer’s blue Kia Soul with his cell phone inside. Sam Gillette, People.com, 18 July 2025 GitHub removed the three accounts that hosted the malicious payloads shortly after being notified by Talos. ArsTechnica, 17 July 2025 Governments can build better guardrails by notifying their adversaries of military activities, promoting regular dialogue among officials, and improving their understanding of opponents’ redlines. Carter Malkasian, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for notify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for notify
Verb
  • Post-Earnings Positioning: Conversely, traders can wait for the earnings announcement and then evaluate the relationship between immediate and medium-term returns to inform their subsequent trading actions.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • For over 50 years, Travel + Leisure has informed and inspired millions of travelers, offering practical advice, essential travel news, and personal narratives from our network of on-the-ground writers around the world.
    Jamie Hergenrader, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Redmond advises measuring the length, width, and height of your space, then determining where your sofa will be situated.
    Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2025
  • Millions of people across the United States have been advised to limit outdoors activity amid concerns over high air pollution levels.
    Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Notify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/notify. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on notify

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