waking 1 of 2

Definition of wakingnext

waking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wake

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 waking
Adjective
When nightmare scenarios move to the waking world, stark fictions and knotty personal histories offer guidance less in the factual specifics than in their emotional terrain. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2020 Since becoming director of Dallas Animal Services in October 2017, Ed Jamison has spent every waking moment trying to get potential adopters and fosters into the shelter. Sharon Grigsby, Dallas News, 6 Apr. 2020
Verb
Use for 20 to 30 minutes within the first hour of waking. Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 9 May 2026 Dawn simulators like Philips SmartSleep and Lumie gradually brighten before waking to mimic sunrise. Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for waking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waking
Verb
  • In Hocus Pocus, Dani, her older brother Max (Omri Katz) and his crush Allison (Vinessa Shaw) have to save the children of Salem, Massachusetts after accidentally awaking the witch Sanderson sisters from their 300-year slumber.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Tirso Ornelas’ seventh-inning grand slam triggered a late-game awaking as Triple-A El Paso beat host Sugar Land 13-2 on Wednesday.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • What the Cortisol Awakening Response Actually Is The cortisol awakening response is the rapid surge of cortisol across the first 30 to 45 minutes after waking, per a January 2025 review in Endocrine Reviews.
    Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
  • As temperatures climb and trees bud with the arrival of spring, a native frog species is awakening after months being frozen and nearly dead.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The additional rendezvous signals overwhelmed the system and caused the recurring error messages, alerting the astronauts and NASA to the specific problem.
    Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 12 May 2026
  • First responders were on the scene and alerting drivers to avoid the area.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • Despite the crowds, the rousing music, and the excitement, Washington’s departure was a solemn affair, freighted by the stunning fact that the American colonies were now truly at war with the British Empire.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
  • Later on, tennis legend Billie Jean King arrived to a rousing round of applause from the audience.
    Joe Otterson, Variety, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • Budget belt-tightening has Massachusetts teachers sounding the alarm, warning that over 1,000 positions are currently sitting on the chopping block at schools across the state.
    Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 19 May 2026
  • Labor economists are skeptical of widespread automation in restaurants, warning productivity benefits are often modest compared to the cost of the new technology, and that truly unlocking benefits of AI in the industry requires a complete overhaul of operations.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 May 2026
Adjective
  • Adding oils or a warm soak can increase sensitivity and make the experience both soothing and arousing.
    Essence, Essence, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Squeezing lube out of a bottle until the cold goop squirts out isn't the most arousing act.
    Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • In an age when companies spend trillions on transformation programs only to see most of them fail, two Amazon Web Services veterans have written what may be the most stimulating management book of 2026.
    Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
  • Most substances of abuse—from cocaine to alcohol—lead to a surge of dopamine in the basal ganglia when these drugs are initially encountered and their stimulating effects are not predictable.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Waking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waking. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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