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

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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
And this time, even the GOP seawall of Texas couldn’t withstand its wake. — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026 In wake of the allegations in 2006, church officials reported Moore to the Linn County Sheriff’s Office and shared the allegations from the previous year. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
Her investigation uncovers a surreal hidden world inside the school, where dreams and waking life have started to blur. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Nov. 2026 When Jontay Porter was ten, his father woke him up most mornings before dawn. — New Yorker, 8 Nov. 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
  • Debates over consciousness have further complicated the conversation about how to regulate AI.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Who controls Starshield is a question that entered the public consciousness in the wake of the Ukraine Starshield speed limit affair.
    — Andrew Jones, Space.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of consciousness
Verb
  • The film follows three animatronic robots who awaken after centuries of silence to discover humanity has vanished and embark on a journey to find their creators.
    — Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2026
  • But a burning rage and hunger for vengeance awakens in the flames.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of awaken
Verb
  • Most of the state awoke Thursday to overcast skies as periods of rain and possible thunderstorms were expected for Thursday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 12 Nov. 2026
  • György awoke Monday morning and was surprised to find that the ship had returned to Galveston.
    — Nicole Duarte, NBC news, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of awake
Verb
  • Whether the bureau warned Huang or determined that sensitive information was exposed remains unclear.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Without such a slowdown, Amodei warned AI could be capable of letting loose a swarm of agents that could take over the entire internet within six to 12 months.
    — Michelle Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of warn
Noun
  • Identified through foundational neuroscience research, the Sleep Onset Pattern is a distinctive brainwave signature that marks the brain's natural transition from wakefulness toward sleep.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The science behind sleep paralysis Sharpless says that a brain stuck between dreams and wakefulness produces this phenomenon.
    — RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of wakefulness
Verb
  • Helen, roused from sleep by the smell of coffee, went into the kitchen.
    — Ron Farina, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Quite the letdown from those rousing performances in Games 2 and 3.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of rouse
Verb
  • The sheriff's office began investigating after it was alerted to suspicious activity at the businesses.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Push notifications will alert beta testers about new features added to app throughout the experimental phase.
    — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 11 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wake

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