as in awakening
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1
as in awaking
to cause to stop sleeping
my banging around in the kitchen woke my wife
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wakening
to cease to be asleep
I woke with a start when the door slammed
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3
as in alerting
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
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Recent Examples of waking
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
Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
The woman recalled someone knocking on their door, waking her family, before hearing shots.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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
The text lays bare the grim conditions under which Black people lived, detailing the hatred and bigotry they were confronted with every single waking second.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
The woman recalled someone knocking on their door, waking her family, before hearing shots.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for waking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waking
Verb
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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
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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
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Dormant cancer cells awakening.—
Stephanie Armour,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
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Dormant cancer cells awakening.—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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No whistles alerting targets to the officers’ presence.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management & Communications is alerting travelers to expect dangerous conditions for their morning and evening commutes on Friday.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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All received rousing ovations, with the loudest reserved for Pro Bowl cornerback Christian Gonzalez, whose AFC Championship interception was shown on the Jumbotron.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
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Its earthy backbone gives it a rousing confidence, while the sweetness makes an indelible first impression.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In December, someone sent Anne a video of her son warning other Africans not to travel to Russia for any job offers.—
Larry Madowo,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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Health officials are warning the public of potential measles exposure after an international traveler visited several high-traffic locations in Southern California, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the Disneyland Resort.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Adding oils or a warm soak can increase sensitivity and make the experience both soothing and arousing.—
Essence,
Essence,
11 Sep. 2025
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Squeezing lube out of a bottle until the cold goop squirts out isn't the most arousing act.—
Brenda Stolyar,
WIRED,
4 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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Lee’s aesthetic of production, and of the power that’s an essential and inescapable part of art, is fundamentally conservative—and no less stimulating for being so.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
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For example, low-quality digital use, including mindless scrolling, autoplay videos, frequent notifications and algorithms that push extreme or harmful material, can be highly stimulating but may lead to poor sleep, attention difficulties, academic challenges, and emotional regulation problems.—
Dr. Tyler Beauchamp,
ABC News,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waking. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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