Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective aware contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of aware are alive, awake, cognizant, conscious, and sensible. While all these words mean "having knowledge of something," aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

How are the words alive and sensible related as synonyms of aware?

Alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something.

alive to the thrill of danger

When could awake be used to replace aware?

While the synonyms awake and aware are close in meaning, awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

When might cognizant be a better fit than aware?

While in some cases nearly identical to aware, cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

When is it sensible to use conscious instead of aware?

In some situations, the words conscious and aware are roughly equivalent. However, conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.

conscious that my heart was pounding

In what contexts can sensible take the place of aware?

The words sensible and aware are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving especially of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities.

sensible of a teacher's influence

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of aware Monitoring the group and being aware of social dynamics has been a helpful and normal thing for humans evolutionarily, Heitmayer said. Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025 Being aware of your monthly budgetary needs, including when bills are due and how much to set aside for an emergency fund is paramount when setting up your finances for stability. Víctor Rosario, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025 Everyone inside the clubhouse is aware of baseball mortality. Matt Gelb, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 Axios reported on Sunday that two senior White House officials acknowledged the administration was aware of and ignored the court order, with one suggesting the legal clash will end up in the U.S. Supreme Court. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for aware
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aware
Adjective
  • First responders arrived at the scene around 10:03 a.m. to find Joseph conscious and alert, the sheriff's office said.
    Doc Louallen, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Diplomatic and socially conscious, Mitchell chooses to keep the peace in his relationships, especially seeing both sides of an argument, just like Libra.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The filmmakers are certainly cognizant of the comic disparity between Iris and Apollo.
    Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Consumers are cognizant of the social and environmental ramifications of their purchasing decisions, seeking assurance that garments were not produced through exploitative labor or environmentally damaging processes.
    SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors.
    Steve Bender, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Leaders should actively promote work-life balance by encouraging regular breaks and being mindful of workloads.
    Jacob Kupietzky, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Subject to partisan litmus tests, military leaders might be wary of offering advice that contradicts the administration’s priorities.
    Risa Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2025
  • That might mean that a recession caused by the Trump administration's tariff policy would actually drive adoption of artificial intelligence by companies that have so far been wary of the tech.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Aware.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aware. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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