# alerted

/əˈɫɝtɪd/ (US) · /ɐlˈɜːtɪd/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/alerted
Updated: 2026-05-04

## Definition

feeling aware that something important or urgent is happening. You use this when you have been told about a problem or danger.

For teachers: having been made aware of a situation, typically one requiring attention or action. Often used predicatively after 'be' or 'feel'.

## Examples

- The staff were alerted to the fire.
- She felt alerted when the security guard started watching her closely.
- The committee remained alerted to the shifting political landscape, ready to adjust their strategy at a moment's notice.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I alerted to the news" but "I was alerted to the news" — In this sense, 'alerted' is an adjective describing a state, so it requires a linking verb like 'be' or 'feel', not a direct object.

## Usage notes

- Often followed by 'to' or 'of' when specifying the cause of awareness.

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