aware

adjective

ə-ˈwer 

1

: having or showing realization, perception, or knowledge

be aware of the danger

aware of the latest advances in medicine

2

archaic : watchful, wary

Synonyms

• alive
• apprehensive
• cognizant
• conscious
• mindful
• sensible
• sentient
• ware
• witting

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

Motivated people who are aware of their choice come to us. —Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025

But slang can also be used to demean, bully, or belittle others, so parents should be aware of trendy lingo their kids are using in their day-to-day life. —Kara Nesvig, Parents, 15 Jan. 2025

Professional Service Providers – Professionals including lawyers, accountants, insurance and benefits brokers, investor relations firms and financial printers may be aware of their client companies’ open CFO positions. —Steven Wasserman, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025

Southern California Edison spokesperson Gabriela Ornelas told NPR that her company was aware of a filing in LA Superior Court, but had not been served or had a chance to review the complaint as of Monday evening. —Liz Baker, NPR, 14 Jan. 2025

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

Phrases Containing aware

• hyper-aware
• self-aware

Kids Definition

aware

adjective

ə-ˈwa(ə)r 

-ˈwe(ə)r

: having or showing understanding or knowledge : conscious

awareness noun