as in insomnia
the inability to obtain adequate sleep
a nagging wakefulness that seemed resistant to all of the standard home remedies
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Recent Examples of wakefulness
The company’s key asset is cleminorexton (formerly known as ORX750), which seeks to mimic a molecule in the brain, known as orexin, that helps regulate wakefulness.
—
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
For many women, that gentle nudge toward wakefulness was once easy to sleep through.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Curating your home's color palette can promote wakefulness in some areas and relaxation in others.
—Kamron Sanders, The Spruce, 22 Feb. 2026
In 2009, after studying a mother and a daughter who were both short sleepers, Fu published a paper about a variation in a gene called DEC2, which influences the production of orexin, a hormone associated with wakefulness.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
Green tea contains caffeine, which can promote wakefulness and alertness.
—Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 7 Jan. 2026
This midday slump is a natural dip in wakefulness your body experiences in the mid-afternoon.
—Colleen Murphy, Health, 6 Jan. 2026
These drugs don't actually provide laser-sharp focus but may instead boost wakefulness and engagement, helping the brain stay with tasks rather than hold attention.
—New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2026
More to the point, the old idea that serotonin is a simple, sleep-promoting signal in the brain is fully out of fashion; later research found that serotonin may also be a potent source of wakefulness, and that its function in the sleep-wake cycle is both complicated and diverse.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 26 Nov. 2025
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
For many women, that gentle nudge toward wakefulness was once easy to sleep through.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Curating your home's color palette can promote wakefulness in some areas and relaxation in others.
—Kamron Sanders, The Spruce, 22 Feb. 2026
In 2009, after studying a mother and a daughter who were both short sleepers, Fu published a paper about a variation in a gene called DEC2, which influences the production of orexin, a hormone associated with wakefulness.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
Green tea contains caffeine, which can promote wakefulness and alertness.
—Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 7 Jan. 2026
This midday slump is a natural dip in wakefulness your body experiences in the mid-afternoon.
—Colleen Murphy, Health, 6 Jan. 2026
These drugs don't actually provide laser-sharp focus but may instead boost wakefulness and engagement, helping the brain stay with tasks rather than hold attention.
—New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2026
More to the point, the old idea that serotonin is a simple, sleep-promoting signal in the brain is fully out of fashion; later research found that serotonin may also be a potent source of wakefulness, and that its function in the sleep-wake cycle is both complicated and diverse.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 26 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wakefulness
Noun
-
Some drugs prescribed for insomnia can impair driving the following morning, particularly if higher doses are taken or when they are combined with other sedating substances.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
For people experiencing insomnia and other sleep issues, other supplements may also help improve rest.—
Kirstyn Hill,
Health,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Many women in this situation report persistent mood issues, fatigue, and restlessness.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The album’s adventurousness mirrors the themes at play, as Thundercat describes his own form of creative restlessness.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sleep medications; muscle relaxants; antipsychotic medicines, and antiseizure drugs, all of which may reduce alertness or coordination.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
These foods contain compounds that give your brain a little jolt of energy by stimulating alertness, mood, and cognition.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wakefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wakefulness. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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