ENGLISH
REFERENCE

woke

adj. · n.
US //ˈwoʊk// UK //wˈəʊk// woke
  1. 1 progressive (often critical) (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang Politics

    a word used to describe very progressive or liberal political views, often used by people who disagree with them.

    pertaining to progressive or left-wing political attitudes. Frequently used as a pejorative by critics to characterize such views as performative or extreme.

    Example

    Some people complain that modern movies have become too woke.

    Example

    The politician campaigned against what he described as 'woke' ideology, targeting specific educational policies he deemed too radical.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is often used as an insult by political opponents; learners should be careful using it as it can sound very biased.
  2. 2 progressive ideology (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Informal Slang Politics

    a name for progressive or liberal ideas, usually used by people who do not like them.

    a collective term for progressive social justice movements or ideologies. Almost exclusively used in a derogatory or dismissive manner by political critics.

    Example

    The newspaper article discussed the rise of woke in university culture.

    Example

    Critics of the movement often conflate various distinct social theories under the singular banner of 'woke' to simplify their opposition.
    • progressivism
Etymology 1

Shortened from woken or woken up, or derived from dialectal use of woke (past participle of wake). The sense of being aware of social injustice dates to at least the 1930s. The derogatory use has been most commonly used as of the 2020s.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Last updated June 19, 2026