adjective
-
having knowledge; cognizant
aware of his error
-
informed of current developments
politically aware
Synonym Usage
See conscious.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of aware
First recorded before 1100; Middle English, variant of iwar, Old English gewær “watchful” (cognate with Old High German, Old Saxon giwar, German gewahr ), equivalent to ge- y- + wær ware 2
Explanation
To be aware means to know about. If you're aware of a sled zooming towards you, move! And if you’re aware that the other kids wish they had sleds, share yours. That’s being socially aware. Well done. Aware is a close relative of beware, "look out for." Julius Caesar is famously warned to "beware the ides of March." Too bad he's not aware of why. Beware and aware share the root ware, from an Old English word meaning "careful." Be aware of your purse at all times, and beware of the snatch-and-grab thief.
Vocabulary lists containing aware
Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 11-20
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Novel Study: American Born Chinese, Pages 85–233
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Chapter 32: New Challenges
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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.
"We need to be very much aware of how much we can tolerate... what we're going to be put through," she said.
From Barron's • Jul. 11, 2026
"Early detection is crucial. And be aware, this disease can sometimes progress rapidly without obvious symptoms."
From BBC • Jul. 11, 2026
When asked whether he was aware of any credible threat from Iran against Air Force One, the president replied that he faces threats “all the time” and that he is “number one on their list.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026
The department said in a Tuesday afternoon Instagram post that it’s aware of social media posts promoting such an event, though it didn’t provide details such as specific times or locales.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2026
I was aware that John Glenn knew of my work.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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.
