1
: having or showing realization, perception, or knowledge
be aware of the danger
aware of the latest advances in medicine
2
archaic : watchful, 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 Some signs and symptoms to be aware of include severe headaches, high blood pressure, changes in vision, and pain in the upper belly area. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 15 Apr. 2024 Begay is aware of deficiencies within her home, and during a severe storm that struck the area in 2010, shortcuts in construction became apparent. The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2024 Democrats are convinced much of the electorate isn't aware of Kennedy's controversial positions and theories or that he's boosted financially by a Trump Super PAC's largest donor. Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024 Be aware of internet scams, phishing emails and suspicious requests for login or financial information. John Towfighi, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024 Court filings by prosecutors in the criminal case make clear that some individuals, including city officials who remain anonymous in the filings, took part in or were aware of various schemes. Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024 Always be aware of potential problems and discuss all treatment decisions with your healthcare provider. Cathy Wong, Verywell Health, 12 Apr. 2024 And, unlike in past years, everyone on Ocean Drive seemed to be aware of the city’s anti-spring break campaign. Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024 Greenberg also cautioned residents to be aware of scammers who might attempt to take advantage of people affected by the natural disaster, like those masquerading as Federal Emergency Management Agency employees. Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 3 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aware.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of aware was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near aware

Cite this Entry

“Aware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aware. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

aware

adjective
ə-ˈwa(ə)r How to pronounce aware (audio)
-ˈwe(ə)r
: having or showing understanding or knowledge : conscious
awareness noun

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