alive
Americanadjective
-
having life; living; existing; not dead or lifeless.
- Antonyms:
- dead
-
living (used for emphasis).
the proudest man alive.
-
in a state of action; in force or operation; active.
to keep hope alive.
- Antonyms:
- defunct
-
full of energy and spirit; lively.
Grandmother's more alive than most of her contemporaries.
- Antonyms:
- lifeless
-
having the quality of life; vivid; vibrant.
The room was alive with color.
-
Electricity. live.
idioms
-
alive to, alert or sensitive to; aware of.
City planners are alive to the necessity of revitalizing deteriorating neighborhoods.
-
look alive! pay attention! move quickly!.
Look alive! We haven't got all day.
-
alive with, filled with living things; swarming; teeming.
The room was alive with mosquitoes.
adjective
-
(of people, animals, plants, etc) living; having life
-
in existence; active
they kept hope alive
the tradition was still alive
-
(immediately postpositive and usually used with a superlative) of those living; now living
the happiest woman alive
-
full of life; lively
she was wonderfully alive for her age
-
(usually foll by with) animated
a face alive with emotion
-
(foll by to) aware (of); sensitive (to)
-
(foll by with) teeming (with)
the mattress was alive with fleas
-
electronics another word for live 2
-
(of a person) active and in good health
-
hurry up! get busy!
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of alive
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English on līfe “in life”; equivalent to a- 1 + life
Explanation
If you're alive, you're living — in other words, you're not dead. If your apple tree blooms in the spring, you'll know it's still alive after the long, cold winter. Living things are alive — people, animals, plants — but things can be alive figuratively as well. You might, for example, talk about keeping optimism alive or keeping the school music program alive. The word is often used to mean "spirited" or "full of energy," too, as when a birthday party comes alive just as the magician and the pony arrive. Alive comes from the Old English phrase on life, "in living" or "in life."
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.
Because the bacteria were no longer alive, they could not cause an infection, but they still triggered a temporary inflammatory response.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
The original 1998 film hardly enchanted critics upon its debut, but went on to conjure a cult following that had kept hopes of a sequel alive ever since.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
That’s when Manning, facing a fourth down deep in his own territory, fired a laser into the teeth of the Ohio State defense, moving the chains and keeping Texas alive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
"That's a very good example of why bruxism can keep you alive," says Prof Frank Lobbezoo, a leading researcher on the condition.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
I find it annoying that Dr. Crowchild’s plants always look so bright and healthy, while the one I’ve been trying to keep alive seems to fight against my efforts willing it to thrive.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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.
