awakening

noun

awak·​en·​ing ə-ˈwāk-niŋ 

ə-ˈwā-kə-

plural awakenings

1

: a rousing from sleep

The night terror is an abrupt awakening early in the night, most often within the first hour or two of sleep …

—Franklin Galvin et al.

2

a

: a rousing from inactivity or indifference

… one of the primary branches of yoga … prescribes various practices to assist the yogi in the gradual awakening of the heart.

—James Bailey

b

: a revival of interest in something (such as religion)

Russian Jews themselves experienced a cultural and political awakening after Israel's victory, some openly challenging their government's ban on religious and Hebrew training.

—Jonathan D. Sarna

3

: a coming into awareness

Like his discovery of literature, this intimacy becomes an awakening to the possibilities of life.

—Morris Dickstein

Examples of awakening in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Read the full Libra Daily Horoscope Scorpio (October 23 - November 21) Is your heart awakening on a new level? —Usa Today, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025

Neptune was last in Aries from 1862-1875 which helped fuel radical reinvention through war, liberation, and spiritual awakening, seen in the U.S. Civil War, abolition, industrial expansion, and the rise of mystical movements. —Colin Bedell, Them, 20 Mar. 2025

However, for people who have trouble drifting off or for those with sleep fragmentation — brief but frequent awakenings during the night — ongoing stress from the news can turn the occasional bad night of sleep into a real problem. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 19 Mar. 2025

Night Sweats and Temperature Regulation Many women experience vasomotor symptoms (VMS) like hot flashes, which can cause sudden awakenings and difficulty getting back to sleep. —Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing awakening

• rude awakening

Rhymes for awakening

• reawakening
• wakening