aware

adjective

ə-ˈwer 

1

: having or showing realization, perception, or knowledge

be aware of the danger

aware of the latest advances in medicine

2

archaic : watchful, wary

Synonyms of aware

• conscious
• cognizant
• mindful
• wary

Choose the Right Synonym for aware

aware, cognizant, conscious, sensible, alive, awake mean having knowledge of something.

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

Examples of aware in a Sentence

Are you aware how important you are to me?

She is one of the most aware people I know.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nanos said officers were aware of the video showing the car around the time of Nancy's abduction. —Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Mar. 2026

While this can be a good thing, Nayani explains the importance of being aware of the savior complex that can occur when white parents adopt or foster a child of color. —Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 3 Mar. 2026

The law now requires that a defendant has to be aware of the killer’s intent or that there be some other evidence of their direct involvement in the killing. —Sean Emery, Oc Register, 3 Mar. 2026

And signals so far indicate that China is also aware of the impact this vision will have on its workforce – and the need to invest in training and education. —Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English iwar, iwarre, going back to Old English gewær, going back to West Germanic *gawaro- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German giwar "cognizant"), from *ga-, perfective, associative and collective prefix + Germanic *waro- "cognizant, watchful" — more at com-, ware entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing aware

• hyper-aware
• self-aware

Rhymes for aware

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare
• cookware

Kids Definition

aware

adjective

ə-ˈwa(ə)r 

-ˈwe(ə)r

: having or showing understanding or knowledge : conscious

awareness noun