alive

[ uh-lahyv ]

adjective

1. having life; living; existing; not dead or lifeless.

   Antonyms: dead

2. living (used for emphasis):

   the proudest man alive.

3. in a state of action; in force or operation; active:

   to keep hope alive.

   Antonyms: defunct

4. full of energy and spirit; lively:

   Grandmother's more alive than most of her contemporaries.

   Synonyms: nimble, active

   Antonyms: lifeless

5. having the quality of life; vivid; vibrant:

   The room was alive with color.

6. Electricity. live ²( def 13 ).

alive

/ əˈlaɪv /

adjective

1. (of people, animals, plants, etc) living; having life
2. in existence; active

   they kept hope alive

   the tradition was still alive

3. immediately postpositive and usually used with a superlative of those living; now living

   the happiest woman alive

4. full of life; lively

   she was wonderfully alive for her age

5. usually foll by with animated

   a face alive with emotion

6. foll by to aware (of); sensitive (to)
7. foll by with teeming (with)

   the mattress was alive with fleas

8. See live
   electronics another word for live 2
9. alive and kicking
   alive and kicking (of a person) active and in good health
10. look alive!
    look alive! hurry up! get busy!

Derived Forms

• aˈliveness, noun

Other Words From

• a·liveness noun
• half-a·live adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of alive¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English on līfe “in life”; equivalent to a- ¹ + life

Word History and Origins

Origin of alive¹

Old English on līfe in life

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. look alive! pay attention! move quickly!:

   Look alive! We haven't got all day.

2. alive to, alert or sensitive to; aware of:

   City planners are alive to the necessity of revitalizing deteriorating neighborhoods.

3. alive with, filled with living things; swarming; teeming:

   The room was alive with mosquitoes.

More idioms and phrases containing alive

• come alive
• eat someone alive
• look alive
• more dead than alive
• skin alive

Example Sentences

The distinction between over-policing and non-responsiveness was alive and well in Bed-Stuy.

From The Daily Beast

Their logic: the sea-creature would come alive and drink up any remaining alcohol.

From The Daily Beast

According to the AP, as of October, there were only four people still alive who be affected by this legislation.

From The Daily Beast

After all, unlike the other vaccines currently in the pipeline, this one is alive and replication-competent.

From The Daily Beast

Shakur remains very much alive, along with Hill, Morales, LeBeef and the others.

From The Daily Beast

On the thirteenth of the same month they bound to the stake, in order to burn alive, a man who had two religious in his house.

From Project Gutenberg

To-day I'm more dead than alive, as we had a lesson from him yesterday that lasted four hours.

From Project Gutenberg

Sometimes the child lay so still that Aristide arose to see whether he was alive.

From Project Gutenberg

So far as their thought is still alive these men will come into the discussion of living questions now.

From Project Gutenberg

If they are still Moderns and alive, I defy you to bury them if you are discussing living questions in a full and honest way.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• awake
• eager
• ready
• rife