wideawake

1 of 2

noun

wide·​awake ˌwīd-ə-ˈwāk 

1

: a soft felt hat with a low crown and a wide brim

2

: sooty tern

wide-awake

2 of 2

adjective

ˌwīd-ə-ˈwāk 

1

: fully awake

2

: alertly watchful especially for advantages or opportunities

Synonyms

Adjective

• awake
• insomniac
• sleepless
• wakeful

Choose the Right Synonym for wideawake

watchful, vigilant, wide-awake, alert mean being on the lookout especially for danger or opportunity.

watchful is the least explicit term.

the watchful eye of the department supervisor

vigilant suggests intense, unremitting, wary watchfulness.

eternally vigilant in the safeguarding of democracy

wide-awake applies to watchfulness for opportunities and developments more often than dangers.

wide-awake companies latched onto the new technology

alert stresses readiness or promptness in meeting danger or in seizing opportunity.

alert traders anticipated the stock market's slide

Examples of wideawake in a Sentence

Adjective

was wide-awake with worry for most of the night

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

For wide-awake eyes, Mrs. Bieber swipes on Kosas’ Revealer Concealer, which is another multipurpose product. —Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 20 Sep. 2024

Forgotten that prayer is a kind of wide-awake drift toward God. —Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024

Blackout shades and curtains are a dream for light sleepers and for parents who want wide-awake children to nod off at nap time. —Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 27 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

wide-awake

adjective

ˌwīd-ə-ˈwāk

1

: fully awake

2

: alert entry 1 sense 1b