Word
woke
US/ˈwoʊk/
UK/wˈəʊk/
Definitions
03progressive (often critical)
adj. a word used to describe very progressive or liberal political views, often used by people who disagree with them.
adj. pertaining to progressive or left-wing political attitudes. Frequently used as a pejorative by critics to characterize such views as performative or extreme.
“Some people complain that modern movies have become too woke.”
“The politician campaigned against what he described as 'woke' ideology, targeting specific educational policies he deemed too radical.”
Informal · Slang
Teaching tip
This sense is often used as an insult by political opponents; learners should be careful using it as it can sound very biased.
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04progressive ideology
n. a name for progressive or liberal ideas, usually used by people who do not like them.
n. a collective term for progressive social justice movements or ideologies. Almost exclusively used in a derogatory or dismissive manner by political critics.
“The newspaper article discussed the rise of woke in university culture.”
“Critics of the movement often conflate various distinct social theories under the singular banner of 'woke' to simplify their opposition.”
Informal · Slang
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“In another incident, a couple in Scotland woke to find a shirtless man in their hotel bedroom after he was mistakenly given a key card to their door.” “When he woke up after the procedure, he was in so much pain he couldn't stand.” Etymology
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.
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/woke