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

That means the company's license plates are very likely to remain vulnerable despite Rodriguez's warning—a fact, Rodriguez says, that transport policymakers and law enforcement should be aware of as digital license plates roll out across the country. —Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 16 Dec. 2024

According to data from Our World in Data, people who are aware of the significant progress humanity has made over the last century are significantly more likely to believe that the future would be better. —Talia Milgrom-Elcott, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

Emergency officials are aware of the inspection and will be available to provide any assistance if necessary, the release states. —Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 16 Dec. 2024

However, there are notable differences among platforms that people need to be aware of. —Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2024

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