waking 1 of 2

Definition of wakingnext

waking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wake

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 waking
Adjective
When nightmare scenarios move to the waking world, stark fictions and knotty personal histories offer guidance less in the factual specifics than in their emotional terrain. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2020 Since becoming director of Dallas Animal Services in October 2017, Ed Jamison has spent every waking moment trying to get potential adopters and fosters into the shelter. Sharon Grigsby, Dallas News, 6 Apr. 2020
Verb
For chronic stress or anxiety, the website suggests starting the first session within the first hour of waking, with the app prompting a second session if needed. Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026 Some of Iris Nemani’s earliest memories of the arts have to do with her parents waking her up — as a very young child — late at night to watch classic movie musicals on TV. Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for waking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waking
Adjective
  • Adding oils or a warm soak can increase sensitivity and make the experience both soothing and arousing.
    Essence, Essence, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Squeezing lube out of a bottle until the cold goop squirts out isn't the most arousing act.
    Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • In Hocus Pocus, Dani, her older brother Max (Omri Katz) and his crush Allison (Vinessa Shaw) have to save the children of Salem, Massachusetts after accidentally awaking the witch Sanderson sisters from their 300-year slumber.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Tirso Ornelas’ seventh-inning grand slam triggered a late-game awaking as Triple-A El Paso beat host Sugar Land 13-2 on Wednesday.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • What the Cortisol Awakening Response Actually Is The cortisol awakening response is the rapid surge of cortisol across the first 30 to 45 minutes after waking, per a January 2025 review in Endocrine Reviews.
    Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
  • As temperatures climb and trees bud with the arrival of spring, a native frog species is awakening after months being frozen and nearly dead.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Thanks to loyal reader Ben Gellman-Chomsky for alerting me to it on BlueSky.
    Jayson Stark, New York Times, 29 May 2026
  • That electronic suppression could be designed to prevent nearby Cuban forces from alerting leadership, coordinating reinforcements or tracking incoming aircraft.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • Throughout the afternoon, the likes of The Jack Wharff Band, MŌRIAH, Jason Scott & The High Heat, Drake Milligan and more also delivered rousing sets across the festival's footprint.
    Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026
  • To accomplish this, Zegna recruited Ron and Russell Mael and their Sparks band — on a night off from their international tour — to perform a rousing set that got the crowd dancing.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Ellison denounces the allegations as a baseless political stunt, warning that using prosecutorial power to pursue rivals instead of protecting public programs erodes trust in democratic institutions.
    Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
  • Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s financial chief urged the City Council to stick to an $8-9 million budget amendment package proposed by the Council’s Ways and Means chair, warning that further changes would lead to city layoffs.
    Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 9 June 2026
Adjective
  • Novelty refers to experiences that feel new, fresh, unfamiliar or psychologically stimulating.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
  • But don't be discouraged, as today's disruptions could end up leading you toward something fresh, inspiring and intellectually stimulating.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Waking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waking. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on waking

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster