Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To cause someone to stop sleeping; to rouse from sleep: "awaken" means to make a sleeping person become conscious.
   • To make someone aware of something; to stir a feeling or realization: "awaken" can mean to cause someone to become conscious of a fact, idea, or emotion.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To stop sleeping; to wake up: "awaken" means to emerge from sleep.
   • To become active, stirred, or aware: "awaken" can describe the process of a feeling, interest, or memory becoming active.

Examples of Usage

• Verb (transitive):
  • The loud noise awakened the baby. (The sound caused the baby to stop sleeping.)
  • The documentary awakened a deep interest in astronomy. (It caused a new interest to become active.)
• Verb (intransitive):
  • I usually awaken at sunrise. (I stop sleeping at that time.)
  • Old memories awakened when she visited her hometown. (The memories became active in her mind.)

Advanced Usage

• "to awaken to something": to become conscious or aware of a fact or situation.
  • The public is slowly awakening to the severity of the climate crisis. (People are becoming aware of the serious situation.)
• "to awaken someone to something": to make someone aware of a fact or situation.
  • The tragedy awakened the community to the need for better safety measures. (It made the community realize the need.)

Variants and Related Words

• Awake (adj, v): Not asleep; to stop sleeping. Often used interchangeably with "awaken" as a verb.
  • I was already awake when the alarm sounded.
• Awakening (n): The act of waking from sleep; a realization or new awareness.
  • The book led to a profound spiritual awakening.
• Waken (v): A synonym meaning to wake or rouse.

Synonyms

• Wake (up): To stop sleeping or cause to stop sleeping.
• Arouse: To stir from sleep or inactivity.
• Rouse: To bring out of sleep or inactivity.
• Stir: To provoke a feeling or reaction.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Awaken to: (As shown in Advanced Usage) To become aware of.
  • He finally awakened to the truth of her words.
• (No common separable phrasal verb form exists for "awaken"; it is typically used with "to" as a preposition.)

Related Idioms

• A rude awakening: A sudden and unpleasant realization.
  • Failing the exam was a rude awakening for the overconfident student. (It was an unpleasant shock that made him aware of his true situation.)
• To awaken a sleeping giant: To cause a powerful but inactive person, group, or nation to become active and forceful.
  • The attack on the naval base awakened a sleeping giant, leading to a massive military response.

Verb

1. make aware
   • They were awakened to the sad facts
2. stop sleeping
   • She woke up to the sound of the alarm clock
3. cause to become awake or conscious
   • He was roused by the drunken men in the street
   • Please wake me at 6 AM.