alert

An alert is a warning or alarm, especially an alarm about dangerous weather or a military attack, as in The National Weather Service has alerts for tornadoes, hurricanes, Nor’easters, and other severe weather occurrences.

Alert is also an attitude of readiness or caution, as in Tina was on alert for news of her son’s acceptance into college.

Alert describes being fully attentive or wide awake, as in Sabine needs to be awake for several hours before she is alert and ready to work. You can be alert to the people and objects surrounding you. When you are alert, you’re ready to act or react instead of being surprised. But you can also be alert to concepts, ideas, and trends, ready to react to a change in others’ thoughts or to a change in the market.

To alert means to advise or to warn, as with an alert. For example, your teacher might alert you that your big project is due soon, while a police department might alert the public about a dangerous person on the streets.

Example: Alert the security team of the incident and then head home.

The first records of alert come from around the 1600s. It comes from the Italian all’erta, meaning “on the watch, on the lookout.”

Another type of alert is the notifications we get on our mobile phones, computers, and similar devices. These alerts aren’t meant to warn you but to notify you. For example, a sound might play when you receive a voice call, an icon might appear on the screen when you receive a new email, or a light might blink when you receive a new text message. All of these are alerts that alert you to new activity in an application. To keep from being overwhelmed with alerts, some people shut off some or all alerts on their devices.

What are some other forms related to alert?

• alertly (adverb)
• alertness (noun)
• hyperalert (adjective)
• unalerted (adjective)

What are some synonyms for alert?

• forewarn
• signal
• observant
• vigilant

What are some words that share a root or word element with alert? 

• alertly
• alertness
• unalerted

What are some words that often get used in discussing alert?

• pop-up
• siren
• spoiler

Alert is most commonly used to refer to notifications on mobile phones and other digital devices.

alert. breaking news. i love you

— Thoughts of Dog® (@dog_feelings) August 2, 2017

🚨🚨🚨 SPOILER ALERT 🚨🚨🚨

(You're welcome, @steelers.)

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 3, 2016

Who wants to hang out and drive the speed limit Who wants to not honk at other drivers unless it’s to alert potential collision I do – Lil B

— Lil B THE BASEDGOD (@LILBTHEBASEDGOD) October 2, 2017

Is alert used correctly in the following sentence?

I shut off all the alerts on my phone when I go to sleep at night.