aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.
aware of changes in climate
cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.
not fully cognizant of the facts
conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.
conscious that my heart was pounding
sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving especially of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities.
sensible of a teacher's influence
alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something.
alive to the thrill of danger
awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.
a country always awake to the threat of invasion
Example Sentences
It feels great to be alive.
The patient was barely alive.
The sheriff was ordered to find the killer and bring him back alive.
He managed to stay alive for a week without any food.
The patient is being kept alive by artificial means.
an old tradition that is still alive
We need to keep hope alive.
The team needs to win tonight in order to stay alive in the play-offs.
I love to sail because it makes me feel so alive. See More
Recent Examples on the WebGarteski shot another great whitetail a few days later and was relieved to learn that the Jam-4 buck was alive and well after the season.—Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 9 Jan. 2023 Disco & Cocktail Club, the dream of the 1970s is alive and well.—Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2023 Tom Cruise fever is alive and well, which will take the series to new box office heights.—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 Jan. 2023 The Green Bay Packers playoff push is alive and well.—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 25 Dec. 2022 He was taken to a hospital with life threateing injuries but had remained alive and in continuous medical care since the shooting.—Michael Cabanatuan, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 Dec. 2022 Legacy is alive and well at some schools more than others.—Nicole Laporte, Town & Country, 20 Dec. 2022 The Christmas spirit is alive and well at the Affleck house.—Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 19 Dec. 2022 Although Woodson never lived to see Obama elected as the nation’s first Black president in 2008 or Negro History Week transition into Black History Month and witness its impact in the U.S., Canada and beyond, his dream is alive and well.—Chanté Griffin, Good Housekeeping, 19 Dec. 2022 See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English on life, from on + līf life
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