wake 1 of 2

noun

Definition of wakenext
as in consciousness

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wake

2 of 2

verb

ˈwāk How to pronounce wake (audio)
1
as in to awaken
to cause to stop sleeping my banging around in the kitchen woke my wife

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to awake
to cease to be asleep I woke with a start when the door slammed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to warn
to give notice to beforehand especially of danger or risk a public service announcement designed to wake people to the dangers of aggressive driving

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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 wake
Noun
Approximately 10,000 Chicagoans turned out for her wake and funeral. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026 In the immediate wake of the deal, Stewart spoke to Zucker and Marco Bassetti, who becomes Banijay Entertainment CEO. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 10 July 2026
Verb
Beyond the huge gym windows, Maharashtra is waking to another green-gold morning of bulbul birdsong and mooching mongooses. — Horatio Clare, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026 Facial puffiness on waking happens because lymph flow slows overnight when the body is horizontal and still, letting fluid pool in the face. — Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wake
  1. consciousness
  2. awaken
  3. awake
  4. warn
  5. wakefulness
  6. rouse
  7. alert
Noun
  • No wonder the genre struck a chord with young people; these stories were free, highly bingeable, and—best of all—supposedly autobiographical, offering stream-of-consciousness storytelling straight from the bleeding heart of your fellow postgrad.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
  • Adkins then began stabbing himself with the box cutter and drifting in and out of consciousness, the affidavit states.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
Definition of consciousness
Verb
  • In the series premiere of Netflix’s Vladimir, Rachel Weisz awakens from troubled sleep to a cascade of texts, sighs deeply, and addresses the camera with pleading eyes.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026
  • None of these patterns are inherent strengths or weaknesses; the value comes from recognizing them and being present to what is most needed in the moment, awakening leadership.
    — Catherine Bell, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of awaken
Verb
  • In the study, people who ranked in the top 20% for sleep regularity went to sleep and awoke within a roughly one-hour window most days.
    — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2026
  • By the time the game ended, Sasaki’s three-inning start seemed like a murky nightmare the Dodgers awoke from in a sweat.
    — Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of awake
Verb
  • Similarly, Newport Beach had warned partygoers to avoid lawbreaking before the takeover.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Oman’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the latest attacks against Bahrain and Kuwait in an X post, warning that the escalation of military tensions in the region poses a threat to not only its security, but overall maritime safety.
    — Jamie Gray, NBC news, 9 July 2026
Definition of warn
Noun
  • But in people with narcolepsy, such boundaries become blurred, allowing elements of sleep to intrude into wakefulness in varying ways.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 8 July 2026
  • The clinical data demonstrated significant improvements in wakefulness and reductions in excessive daytime sleepiness at week eight, outperforming the placebo with a generally favorable safety profile.
    — Sasirekha Subramanian, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of wakefulness
Verb
  • Rhaenyra is at her happiest finally facing the hungry people of King’s Landing, giving a rousing speech before passing out bread and fruit and grain and other sundries to the smallfolk.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • The film culminates in the Battle of the Monongahela in 1755, where Washington steps up and delivers a rousing speech to the British army despite their defeat.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of rouse
Verb
  • New York’s emergency notification system also alerted residents Tuesday morning of potential traffic delays in the area and urged people to use alternate routes.
    — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump had alerted Congress Wednesday of the administration’s intent to rescind Syria’s designation following a 45-day period -- the amount of time required for congressional review.
    — Mariam Khan, ABC News, 8 July 2026
Definition of alert

Browse Nearby Words

waiving
wake
wakeful
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Cite this Entry

“Wake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wake. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wake

Nglish: Translation of wake for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wake

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