woke (up)

variants also waked (up)
Definition of woke (up)next
past tense of wake (up)
See the Dictionary Definition 

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for woke (up)
Verb
  • One prompted stories of an old cowboy sitting alone on a porch, surveying a ghost town; another prompted stories about a sun rising over a meadow, where tiny creatures awakened and started to frolic.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
  • Seeing her life through Meehan’s eyes awakened something in her.
    Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • Abdul Begawala said his wife awoke early Tuesday morning to the sound of gunshots.
    Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
  • The 68-year-old suspect awoke and got into an argument with the victim that turned physical.
    Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • These muted in-between tones promote quiet contentment, versus the excitement stirred by pure red or yellow.
    Petra Guglielmetti, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 May 2026
  • Grow and behold Government documents, local observers and the theme-parks rumor factory have stirred unofficial speculation about an Epic expansion.
    Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • Vadim begins by recounting his youth as the privileged son of a Soviet-era official who was cast aside under the liberalizing Gorbachev regime; the reversal of fortune roused the young Vadim to make the most of his life.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
  • The resort is also known for Northern Lights viewing and offers wake-up call services for guests who want to be roused from sleep when the aurora appears overhead — turning the soak into a round-the-clock experience.
    Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • Economic development will be stimulated by large infrastructure investments, but energy and other resources will be strained.
    Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
  • When people spend long periods in activities that require very little mental effort, those pathways may not be stimulated in the same way.
    Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Bell is a revelation as the nebbish, envious and conflictedly aroused Niall — a desperate man hiding from others and himself.
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
  • This aroused suspicion and eventually led to searches of Kamnik’s phone, computer, and external hard drive, which revealed a massive trove of illicit material.
    Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Perhaps most widely known as the voice of Olaf in Disney’s blockbuster Frozen franchise, Gad has appeared in more than two dozen film and television projects, both live-action and animated, over the last two decades and change.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 18 May 2026
  • But with this film, which is not being framed as specifically a kids movie, but an all-audience, four-quadrant epic that happens to be animated, Burke explained that story and the film’s emotional impact need to be front of center.
    Brian Welk, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • The same aesthetic and spontaneous curves extend to the lobby bar area, which is enlivened by bronze plaster finishes and was achieved with the manual work of mill workers on-site.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
  • The earthy background palate is enlivened by pops of coral and deep burgundy, the custom furnishings personalized by paintings, sculptures, and gorgeous books.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Woke (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woke%20%28up%29. Accessed 25 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster