waken

verb

ˈwā-kən How to pronounce waken (audio)
Definition of wakennext
1
as in to wake
to cause to stop sleeping a sudden loud noise wakened us

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to awake
to cease to be asleep she usually wakens when sunlight begins to stream through the windows

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 waken However, my condo association includes several dozen inland three-story condominium buildings, which means that the chance that our residents will be wakened by their building collapsing around them is near zero. — Bruce Strom, Sun Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2025 More than that, there is obvious attraction — Mags has a bisexual side that suddenly wakens from long slumber. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025 Two easy arm swing stretches to waken your shoulders after hours hunched over computers and phones. — Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 19 May 2020 Or later consciousness resurfaces in the morning on my return to the wakening world. — Christof Koch, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2017 The dogs were asleep in their kennels at the time and wakened only when the would-be thief was discovered by the staff. — Anne F. Thurston, Foreign Affairs, 23 Feb. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waken
  1. wake
  2. awake
  3. awaken
  4. rouse
Verb
  • Join the dearly beloved under the stars for a reception worthy of the afterlife, with spirited DJ sets, drinks to wake the dead, and a free photobooth for your drop-dead gorgeous wedding portrait.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Ensemble sitcoms live and die by their chemistry, so the cast — encouraged by Kronengold and Shaw — spend almost every waking moment together while filming.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of wake
Verb
  • The boy awoke at a family cottage in northern Ontario in 2024 with a bat resting across his nose and mouth.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Newcastle yearned to win, to fulfil the dream awoken by Keegan — who died of cancer last month — and Isak was part of the team that finally did it, a languid forward with a kiss for a touch who scored at Wembley when Liverpool were beaten.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of awake
Verb
  • The film starts in Paris but Taro’s story begins in her native Leipzig in 1932, where Gerta Pohorylle, as she is then known, is a young woman whose political conscience is awakened by the rise of fascism.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The group uncovers betrayal within its own ranks and faces a battle for the fate of the world, ultimately awakening their true powers and restoring peace, though a new threat emerges quietly in the shadows.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of awaken
Verb
  • Every third morning Soumia Bensalah was roused before the break of dawn.
    — Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • These two exceedingly nimble keyboardists teamed for a rousing take on Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski’s intensely spirited Variations on a Theme of Paganini.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of rouse

Browse Nearby Words

wakefulness
waken
wakened
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Waken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waken. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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