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as in to awake
to cease to be asleep
she usually wakens when sunlight begins to stream through the windows
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waken
However, my condo association includes several dozen inland three-story condominium buildings, which means that the chance that our residents will be wakened by their building collapsing around them is near zero.
—
Bruce Strom, Sun Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2025
More than that, there is obvious attraction — Mags has a bisexual side that suddenly wakens from long slumber.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
The dogs were asleep in their kennels at the time and wakened only when the would-be thief was discovered by the staff.
—Anne F. Thurston, Foreign Affairs, 23 Feb. 2016
As the world—wakened by the recent terrorist attacks in Baghdad, Beirut, Paris, and now in California and London, too—struggles to defeat the Islamic State (also called ISIS), the answer is more important than ever.
—Jacob Olidort, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2015
Or later consciousness resurfaces in the morning on my return to the wakening world.
—Christof Koch, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2017
Two easy arm swing stretches to waken your shoulders after hours hunched over computers and phones.
—Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 19 May 2020
The startling display of acrobatics came, according to police, on Oct. 19, after homeowners in the 700 block of Pershing Drive in Silver Spring were wakened about 2:15 a.m. by the sound of a door.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2019
Before the Sword, by Grace Lin Mulan crept into her house, even though the Rabbit had told her the villagers would not waken even with the loudest of noises.
—David Canfield, EW.com, 24 Oct. 2019
Bruce Strom, Sun Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2025
More than that, there is obvious attraction — Mags has a bisexual side that suddenly wakens from long slumber.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
The dogs were asleep in their kennels at the time and wakened only when the would-be thief was discovered by the staff.
—Anne F. Thurston, Foreign Affairs, 23 Feb. 2016
As the world—wakened by the recent terrorist attacks in Baghdad, Beirut, Paris, and now in California and London, too—struggles to defeat the Islamic State (also called ISIS), the answer is more important than ever.
—Jacob Olidort, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2015
Or later consciousness resurfaces in the morning on my return to the wakening world.
—Christof Koch, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2017
Two easy arm swing stretches to waken your shoulders after hours hunched over computers and phones.
—Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 19 May 2020
The startling display of acrobatics came, according to police, on Oct. 19, after homeowners in the 700 block of Pershing Drive in Silver Spring were wakened about 2:15 a.m. by the sound of a door.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2019
Before the Sword, by Grace Lin Mulan crept into her house, even though the Rabbit had told her the villagers would not waken even with the loudest of noises.
—David Canfield, EW.com, 24 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waken
Verb
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Richardson woke him up, saying Leslie was overdosing.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2025
-
The Long Gray Line and character At West Point, cadets wake before the sun comes up, shoes shined, uniforms squared away.—
Brianna Keilar,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
Verb
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Yet when Sánchez awoke around 1 a.m. Friday and reflexively checked his phone, there was a response.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2025
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Kenwood and Parkville's regional final baseball game was scoreless through six innings, but the Bluebirds awoke with six runs in the seventh.—
James Peters,
Baltimore Sun,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Two hours after co-chairing an online meeting of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), she was awakened by missiles striking her town, Kyiv.—
Joan Michelson,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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The girls’ training has awakened the men to request a seminar for the boys.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
17 May 2025
Verb
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Rose rouses him though, with concerns of their baby arriving prematurely.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
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Where Mraz and his brassy Super Band were polished, note-perfect and exuded an infectiously upbeat vibe, 4 Non Blondes’ uneven 13-song set was alternately rousing and rough-and-tumble.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waken. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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