alert

1 of 3

adjective

ə-ˈlərt 

1

a

: watchful and prompt to meet danger or emergency

an alert guard

trying to stay alert to possible problems

b

: quick to perceive and act

mentally alert

2

: active, brisk

elicited an alert response

alertly adverb

alertness noun

alert

2 of 3

noun

1

: a state of careful watching and readiness especially for danger or opportunity

on 24-hour alert

2

a

: an alarm or other signal of danger

traffic alerts

They sounded the alert.

b

: an urgent notice

… an alert to parents … about new immunization requirements.

—Ann Schrader

3

: the period during which an alert is in effect

alert

3 of 3

verb

alerted; alerting; alerts

transitive verb

1

: to call (someone) to a state of readiness : warn

alerted the school board of a possible teachers' strike

alert the authorities

2

: to make (someone) aware of something

alerted the public to the dangers of pesticides

Phrases

on the alert

: looking for or expecting something (such as danger or an opportunity)

Drivers need to be on the alert for icy conditions.

always on the alert for a good bargain

Synonyms

Adjective

• Argus-eyed
• attentive
• awake
• observant
• open-eyed
• tenty [Scottish]
• tentie
• vigilant
• watchful
• wide-awake

Noun

• admonishment
• admonition
• alarm
• alarum
• caution
• forewarning
• heads-up
• notice
• warning

Verb

• advise
• caution
• forewarn
• wake
• warn

Choose the Right Synonym for alert

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

intelligent, clever, alert, quick-witted mean mentally keen or quick.

intelligent stresses success in coping with new situations and solving problems.

an intelligent person could assemble it fast

clever implies native ability or aptness and sometimes suggests a lack of more substantial qualities.

clever with words

alert stresses quickness in perceiving and understanding.

alert to new technology

quick-witted implies promptness in finding answers in debate or in devising expedients in moments of danger or challenge.

no match for his quick-witted opponent

Examples of alert in a Sentence

Adjective

An alert guard stopped the robbers.

He was tired and had trouble staying alert while he was driving.

She wasn't mentally alert enough to answer the questions.

An alert watchdog guarded the door.

Noun

They sounded an alert when enemy planes were approaching the city.

Medical officials have put out an alert to hospitals to look out for the virus.

The government has issued a terrorism alert.

Verb

Several neighbors alerted the authorities when they noticed strangers acting suspiciously.

The governor alerted island residents that a hurricane was coming.

The teacher alerted the students that tests would be given the next day.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Indianapolis weather:Potential snow squalls have Indianapolis meteorologists on alert Flash freezing for this evening As temperatures fall later on today into the evening flash freezing on the surfaces of roads will also be possible. —Jade Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Dec. 2024

Residents with eucalyptus trees in or near their yard should also be on alert, since the trees are highly flammable and have shallow root structures. —Maura Fox, The Mercury News, 10 Dec. 2024

Noun

The warnings were put to use on Thursday when people in the northern portion of California were sent tsunami alerts moments after a 7.0 earthquake struck just off the coast of Humboldt county at 10:44 a.m. —Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024

The Food and Drug Administration issued three alerts throughout 2024, warning consumers about lead in certain brands of cinnamon products. —Katarzyna Kordas, Discover Magazine, 7 Dec. 2024

Verb

If your meal isn’t cooked properly, say the meat on your plate is raw, alert the staff. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2024

There were no fingerprints left behind, and the museum’s alarm system did not alert a central dispatch. —Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from French alerte, going back to Middle French a l'herte "on guard, on the watch," borrowed from Italian all'erta, originally in the collocation stare all'erta "to be on the watch," literally, "to be on the height" (with erta "height, hill, steep ascent," noun derivative from feminine of erto, past participle of ergere "to raise, elevate," going back to Vulgar Latin *ērgere, by syncope from Latin ērigere) — more at erect entry 1

Note: The earliest citation for the word in the Oxford English Dictionary suggests direct borrowing from Italian, or at least recognition of an Italian source: "In this place the Prince [of Orange] finding his rutters [cavalry soldiers] alert, (as the Italians say) with aduise of his valiant brother, hee sent his Trumpets to D. d' Alua …." (Sir Roger Williams, The Actions of the Lowe Countries, London, 1618, p. 27).

Noun

noun derivative of alert entry 1 (or borrowed from French alerte, derivative of alerte, adjective)

Verb

verbal derivative of alert entry 1 or alert entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing alert

• Amber alert
• Blue alert
• hyper-alert
• on the alert
• red alert
• silver alert
• spoiler alert

Kids Definition

alert

1 of 3 adjective

ə-ˈlərt 

1

a

: being watchful and ready to meet danger

b

: quick to understand and act

2

: active sense 3, brisk

alertly adverb

alertness noun

alert

2 of 3 noun

1

: a signal of danger

2

: the period during which an alert is in effect

alert

3 of 3 verb

: to call to a state of readiness : warn