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 WebHowever, many people were not aware they had been enrolled in the system.—Matt Burgess, WIRED, 27 Apr. 2024 She’s always been aware of her power and how to manipulate that over others.—Selome Hailu, Variety, 26 Apr. 2024 Had voters been aware that the state fails to track whether all that spending on the crisis is doing any good at all, Prop. 1 would likely have failed.—Jon Coupal, Orange County Register, 26 Apr. 2024 Kelly is no stranger to the literary world, but readers of his previous works may not be aware of that.—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Apr. 2024 As a 66-year-old woman, DeGeneres said she’s also grown increasingly aware of the aging process both physically and mentally.—Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2024 During the news conference, school district Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers said an investigation was immediately launched with the help of authorities once the district was aware of the audio.—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024 Morris and her family are keenly aware just how special Kopper Kettle is, as similar diners have closed or been bought out over the years.—Shannon Greene, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2024 Some signs and symptoms to be aware of include severe headaches, high blood pressure, changes in vision, and pain in the upper belly area.—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 15 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aware.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
Time Traveler
The first known use of aware was
before the 12th century
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