awakening
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.the act of waking up after being asleep.
n.the act of ceasing to sleep and returning to a state of consciousness.
Simple“His sudden awakening was caused by a loud noise in the street.”
In context“The patient experienced a gradual awakening from the anaesthetic, initially appearing confused by the hospital surroundings before regaining full orientation.”
SynonymsAntonymsfalling asleep - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a moment when you suddenly understand or notice something important.
n.the process of becoming aware of a situation, fact, or emotion; a sudden realization.
Simple“The trip to the mountains was a spiritual awakening for her.”
In context“The documentary served as a rude awakening for many viewers who had previously ignored the environmental impact of their consumption habits.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.a time when many people become very interested in religion again.
n.a renewal of interest in or attention to religious faith within a community.
Simple“The town experienced a great religious awakening in the nineteenth century.”
In context“Historians often debate the social catalysts that triggered the Great Awakening and its subsequent influence on colonial American identity.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.starting to wake up or becoming active.
adj.coming into a state of awareness or activity; rousing from a dormant state.
Simple“She watched the awakening city from her balcony as the sun rose.”
In context“The awakening instincts of the young predator were evident as it began to stalk the smaller creatures in the tall grass.”
“Sometimes when you wonder what people are thinking about you comes the rude awakening that they are not thinking about you at all.”
“Here she writes about her childhood and political awakening, and reflects from the present moment on nearly 60 years of activism.”
From awaken + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.