1
as in awakens
to cause to stop sleeping
my banging around in the kitchen woke my wife
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awakes
to cease to be asleep
I woke with a start when the door slammed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in warns
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wakes
This season Sinatra wakes from her coma and faces a new obstacle in Jane (Nicole Brydon Bloom).
—
Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Its sunrise alarm wakes you up peacefully.
—Claire Peltier, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
The two-in-one device combines the power of an air purifier with an alarm clock that gently wakes you up with soothing sounds and mellow, adjustable lighting that mimics a sunrise.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2026
The seed emerges from within the boy, who wakes to find it in his mouth—not a date stone, but a polished walnut kernel.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
The sci-fi thriller follows junior high teacher Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling), who wakes from a coma alone on a spaceship.
—Brittany Anas, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Feb. 2026
It's been a while since any boat wakes disturbed the water.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Maybe this will be the thing that finally wakes them up.
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
All this within a year unless KC wakes the hell up.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Its sunrise alarm wakes you up peacefully.
—Claire Peltier, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
The two-in-one device combines the power of an air purifier with an alarm clock that gently wakes you up with soothing sounds and mellow, adjustable lighting that mimics a sunrise.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2026
The seed emerges from within the boy, who wakes to find it in his mouth—not a date stone, but a polished walnut kernel.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
The sci-fi thriller follows junior high teacher Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling), who wakes from a coma alone on a spaceship.
—Brittany Anas, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Feb. 2026
It's been a while since any boat wakes disturbed the water.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Maybe this will be the thing that finally wakes them up.
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
All this within a year unless KC wakes the hell up.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wakes
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,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Mailena Wellness Resort, on the Baja California shoreline, awakens wellness on Mexico’s west coast with its state-of-the-art Wellness and Longevity Center.—
Jane Alexander,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Ashur awakes in this alternative timeline, but not all is blissful.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
7 Feb. 2026
-
When Fuller awakes several hours later, her head has been shaved, she’s covered in antihistamine cream, and she’s tied up in a basement.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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However, Summers warns that there is no reason to expect the Cuban population to possess the cultural norms and attitudes to make a smooth transition to a more open, free-market economy.—
John Scott Lewinski,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The latest incidents come after three separate vessels sustained damage in Gulf waters on Wednesday and as Iran warns oil prices could climb to $200 a barrel.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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No, Kravitz is an artist who builds from the essence of his music, true rock ‘n’ roll, creating a live show that doesn’t push boundaries but rouses the audience and satisfies our yearning for a real rock star.—
Britt Julious,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
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Front-axle motors deliver their full monty of instantaneous torque at every possible engine speed between 0 and 2,000 rpm; 2,000 rpm is the point at which the gas engine rouses itself to take over the majority of propulsion.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
26 Sep. 2016
Verb
-
Military officials also said that the warning siren that alerts service members to an incoming aerial attack had worked all week before the deadly strike, but in prior incidents, some of the drones were already inside the base before the siren sounded.—
James LaPorta
March 5,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Some, such as an early warning system that alerts providers when a patient is heading toward coding, have been in use for years.—
Emily Brindley,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wakes. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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