- present participle of awaken.
awakening
Americanadjective
noun
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the act of awaking from sleep.
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a revival of interest or attention.
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a recognition, realization, or coming into awareness of something.
a rude awakening to the disagreeable facts.
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a renewal of interest in religion, especially in a community; a revival.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of awakening
Explanation
An awakening is the act of waking up from sleep. It can also refer to other forms of new or sudden consciousness. When you've been asleep, whether at night or during a nap, you wake up and regain consciousness. This is known as an awakening. However, this word is often used for more dramatic things than getting out of bed. Having a religious epiphany is an awakening. Deciding to get married could be considered an awakening. Any time you realize or accept something important and life-changing, it can be called an awakening, because it's almost like you were asleep before.
Vocabulary lists containing awakening
May the 4th Be With You: Star Wars Words
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myPerspectives 8.1
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"The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century," Vocabulary from Chapter 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Awakening at Wynn Las Vegas — There’s dancing, illusions, puppetry and acrobatics on full display in “The Awakening,” a visually striking production at Wynn Las Vegas.
From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026
The government's offensive against Al-Shabaab emulated the "Sunni Awakening" strategy of the United States in Iraq in the 2000s, when it backed Sunni Arab tribes against Al-Qaeda.
From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026
In the 19th century, after the Second Great Awakening, few traveled to the Holy Land.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025
Two of my favorites are “The Compassion Book: Teachings for Awakening the Heart,” which contain slogans with interpretations you can read every day, and “Living Beautifully: With Uncertainty and Change.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2024
Mr. Wise comes in and starts reading aloud from The Awakening, and we’re supposed to follow along in our own copies.
From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
