Awake — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /ə-ˈwāk/

Meaning & Definition of Awake

Awake (verb)

  1. to cease sleeping, to wake up
  2. to become aroused or active again
  3. to become conscious or aware of something

Awake (adjective)

  1. fully conscious, alert, and aware, not asleep

Awake (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. not sleeping or able to sleep

    "was awake until 3:00 a.m."

    similar: insomniac, sleepless, wakeful, wide-awake
    related: aroused, awakened, roused, rousted, wakened, about, astir, up, aware, conscious, revived, reawakened
    opposite: asleep, dormant, dozing, napping, resting, sleeping, slumbering, unawakened
    near: dozy, drowsy, nodding, sleepy, slumberous, somnolent, dreaming, hypnotized, mesmerized

  2. paying close attention usually for the purpose of anticipating approaching danger or opportunity

    "awake to the possibility of trouble at the demonstration"

    similar: alert, Argus-eyed, attentive, observant, open-eyed, tenty (Scottish), vigilant, watchful, wide-awake, on guard, on one's toes, on the alert, on the ball, on the qui vive, on tiptoe
    related: alive, aware, conscious, sensitive, cognizant, heedful, keen, mindful, observing, regardful, sharp, sharp-eyed, hyperalert, hypervigilant, sleepless, wakeful, careful, cautious, chary, wary, prepared, ready
    opposite: asleep
    near: absent, absentminded, absorbed, abstracted, daydreaming, dazed, distracted, dreaming, dreamy, engrossed, faraway, insensible, oblivious, preoccupied, sleeping, unaware, unconscious, unknowing, unwitting, careless, heedless, inattentive, unheeding, unmindful, unthinking, unwary, unprepared, unready

Awake (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause to stop sleeping

    "awoke the boys for breakfast"

    similar: arouse, awaken, knock up (British), rouse, wake, waken
    related: roust, rout, raise, revive, reawaken, rewake, agitate, bestir, disturb, excite, provoke, stimulate, stir
    opposite: lull
    near: hypnotize, mesmerize

  2. to cease to be asleep

    "at the sound of breaking glass she awoke with a start"

    similar: arouse, awaken, rouse, wake, waken
    related: arise, get up, rise, roll out, turn out, uprise, watch, revive, reawaken, rewake, shift, stir
    near: catnap, conk (off or out), doze, drop off, nap, nod, rest, sleep, slumber, snooze, bed (down), couch, doss (down) (chiefly British), flop, kip (down) (British), retire, sack out, turn in, lie up, sleep in, oversleep

Related Entry: Wide-awake (adjective)

Wide-awake is a different word from Awake. The synonyms below are for wide-awake, not for awake.

  1. not sleeping or able to sleep

    "was wide-awake with worry for most of the night"

    similar: awake, insomniac, sleepless, wakeful
    related: aroused, awakened, roused, rousted, wakened, about, astir, up, aware, conscious, revived, reawakened
    opposite: asleep, dormant, dozing, napping, resting, sleeping, slumbering, unawakened
    near: dozy, drowsy, nodding, sleepy, slumberous, somnolent, dreaming, hypnotized, mesmerized

  2. paying close attention usually for the purpose of anticipating approaching danger or opportunity

    "investors who were wide-awake bought the stock as soon as it was offered"

    similar: alert, Argus-eyed, attentive, awake, observant, open-eyed, tenty (Scottish), vigilant, watchful, on guard, on one's toes, on the alert, on the ball, on the qui vive, on tiptoe
    related: alive, aware, conscious, sensitive, cognizant, heedful, keen, mindful, observing, regardful, sharp, sharp-eyed, hyperalert, hypervigilant, sleepless, wakeful, careful, cautious, chary, wary, prepared, ready
    opposite: asleep
    near: absent, absentminded, absorbed, abstracted, daydreaming, dazed, distracted, dreaming, dreamy, engrossed, faraway, insensible, oblivious, preoccupied, sleeping, unaware, unconscious, unknowing, unwitting, careless, heedless, inattentive, unheeding, unmindful, unthinking, unwary, unprepared, unready

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Awake

The most common words with a similar meaning to Awake:

Scottish: tenty
British: knock up
insomniac, sleepless, wakeful, wide-awake, alert, Argus-eyed, attentive, observant, open-eyed, vigilant, watchful, on guard, on one's toes, on the alert, on the ball, on the qui vive, on tiptoe, arouse, awaken, rouse, wake, waken

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Awake

Words with the opposite meaning of Awake:

asleep, dormant, dozing, napping, resting, sleeping, slumbering, unawakened, lull

Related Words for Awake

aroused, awakened, roused, rousted, wakened, about, astir, up, aware, conscious, revived, reawakened, alive, sensitive, cognizant, heedful, keen, mindful, observing, regardful, sharp, sharp-eyed, hyperalert, hypervigilant, careful, cautious, chary, wary, prepared, ready

Near Antonyms of Awake

dozy, drowsy, nodding, sleepy, slumberous, somnolent, dreaming, hypnotized, mesmerized, absent, absentminded, absorbed, abstracted, daydreaming, dazed, distracted, dreamy, engrossed, faraway, insensible, oblivious, preoccupied, unaware, unconscious, unknowing, unwitting, careless, heedless, inattentive, unheeding

Word Forms of Awake

Inflections: awoke, awaked, awoken, awaking

Origin & Etymology of Awake

Middle English awaken (from Old English awacan, onwacan, from a-:1, on + wacan to awake) & awakien, from Old English awacian, from a-:1 + wacian to be awake wake

First known use: before 12th centuryi

Words & Phrases Containing Awake

wide-awake

Frequently Asked Questions about Awake

What does "Awake" mean?

"Awake" means to cease sleeping, to wake up. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to cease sleeping, to wake up. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Awake"?

Other words for "Awake" include insomniac, sleepless, wakeful, wide-awake, alert, Argus-eyed, attentive and observant. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Awake" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Awake"?

There are 75 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Awake". Common alternatives include insomniac, sleepless, wakeful, wide-awake, alert, Argus-eyed, attentive, observant, open-eyed and tenty.

What is the opposite of "Awake"?

Antonyms of "Awake" include asleep, dormant, dozing, napping, resting, sleeping, slumbering and unawakened. Near antonyms include dozy, drowsy, nodding and sleepy.

How do you use "Awake" in a sentence?

Examples of "Awake" in a sentence: "was awake until 3:00 a.m."; "awake to the possibility of trouble at the demonstration"; "awoke the boys for breakfast".

Is "Awake" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Awake" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Awake"?

"Awake" is pronounced /ə-ˈwāk/.

What is the origin of the word "Awake"?

"Awake" comes from Middle English awaken (from Old English awacan, onwacan, from a-:1, on + wacan to awake) & awakien, from Old English awacian, from a-:1 + wacian to be awake wake. First known use: before 12th centuryi.