awake 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of awakenext
1
as in wakeful
not sleeping or able to sleep was awake until 3:00 a.m.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alert
paying close attention usually for the purpose of anticipating approaching danger or opportunity awake to the possibility of trouble at the demonstration

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

awake

2 of 2

verb

ə-ˈwāk How to pronounce awake (audio)
1
as in to wake
to cause to stop sleeping awoke the boys for breakfast

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to awaken
to cease to be asleep at the sound of breaking glass she awoke with a start

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective awake contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of awake are alive, aware, cognizant, conscious, and sensible. While all these words mean "having knowledge of something," awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

How do alive and sensible relate to one another, in the sense of awake?

Alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something.

alive to the thrill of danger

When is aware a more appropriate choice than awake?

The synonyms aware and awake are sometimes interchangeable, but aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

In what contexts can cognizant take the place of awake?

In some situations, the words cognizant and awake are roughly equivalent. However, cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

When would conscious be a good substitute for awake?

Although the words conscious and awake have much in common, conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.

conscious that my heart was pounding

When is it sensible to use sensible instead of awake?

While the synonyms sensible and awake are close in meaning, sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving especially of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities.

sensible of a teacher's influence

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 awake
Adjective
After her 2013 accident, Collett spent a week in a coma and only three days awake in hospital before being transferred to Oaksey House in Oxfordshire, England, the Injured Jockeys Fund’s rehabilitation centre. — Gemma Redrup, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026 The hour before bed should be quiet, with bright screens off, since artificial light signals the brain to stay awake. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
Then the dogs, the cats, the children who must have been awoken by the blare of the siren, followed by their mothers, who quickly found one another amid a volley of conjectures. — Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026 While Annie lay dying in her arms, Jean’s telepathy awoke, linking their minds and causing Jean to experience Annie’s death firsthand. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for awake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awake
  1. wakeful
  2. alert
  3. wake
  4. awaken
  5. vigilant
  6. watchful
Adjective
  • Low to medium doses show a reduction in the alpha frequency of brain waves (which correspond to relaxed and wakeful states), along with rising entropy, a signature finding of sober brains sinking deeper into a trip.
    — Oshan Jarow, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Having the right pillow can make a big difference between a peaceful night’s sleep and a restless, wakeful one.
    — Casey Clark, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2024
Definition of wakeful
Adjective
  • An evacuation warning means residents should prepare to leave, stay alert for changing conditions and be ready to evacuate if an order is issued.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Officials have urged Hoosiers to stay alert to changing weather conditions as more storms move across Indiana.
    — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of alert
Verb
  • A couple in crisis wakes to find their apartment sealed off by a mysterious, unbreakable substance.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Freirich recommends eating within one to two hours of waking.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of wake
Verb
  • While many teenagers awakening to mortality might turn to poetry or self-destructive behavior, Cao turned to science.
    — Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The series follows Ray Azumi (voiced by Takeo Otsuka), a war orphan who awakens on the lunar surface as the pilot of the experimental mobile suit Gundam ZERO.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of awaken
Adjective
  • That their apparent change in relationship status could have gone unnoticed—in this TikTok-addled clime—is a testament to their vigilant approach to privacy.
    — Michelle Ruiz, Vanity Fair, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Health officials are warning the public to stay vigilant after a flesh-eating bacteria infection killed at least seven people across two states in recent weeks.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of vigilant
Adjective
  • Haunted Mansion props on the parade floats will include the conservatory casket, cryptic gravestones, gargoyle candleholders, watchful busts, haunted armor and stretching room portraits.
    — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The footage offers a peek into Kio’s surroundings, including zebra and giraffe neighbors who tower over the cub, and smaller animals who keep a watchful eye on the growing big cat.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of watchful

Browse Nearby Words

awaits
awake
awaken
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Cite this Entry

“Awake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awake. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on awake

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