The difference between Awake and Awaken

When used as verbs, awake means to become conscious after having slept, whereas awaken means to cause to become awake.


Awake is also adjective with the meaning: not asleep.

check bellow for the other definitions of Awake and Awaken

  1. Awake as an adjective:

    Not asleep; conscious.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: conscious lucid wide awake Thesaurus:awake"

    "ant asleep unconscious Thesaurus:asleep"

  2. Awake as an adjective (figurative, by extension):

    Alert, aware.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: wary woke Thesaurus:vigilant"

    "ant heedless oblivious"

    "They were awake to the possibility of a decline in sales."

  1. Awake as a verb (intransitive):

    To become conscious after having slept.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: awakwake up Thesaurus:wake"

    "ant fall asleep Thesaurus:fall asleep"

  2. Awake as a verb (transitive):

    To cause (somebody) to stop sleeping.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: bring round cry wake up Thesaurus:awaken"

    "ant put to sleep"

  3. Awake as a verb (transitive):

    to excite or to stir up something latent.

  4. Awake as a verb (transitive, figurative):

    To rouse from a state of inaction or dormancy.

  5. Awake as a verb (intransitive, figurative):

    To come out of a state of inaction or dormancy.

  1. Awaken as a verb (transitive):

    To cause to become awake.

    Examples:

    "She awakened him by ringing the bell."

  2. Awaken as a verb (intransitive):

    To stop sleeping; awake.

    Examples:

    "Each morning he awakens with a smile on his face."

  3. Awaken as a verb (transitive, figurative):

    To bring into action (something previously dormant); to stimulate.

    Examples:

    "Awaken your entrepreneurial spirit!"

    "We hope to awaken your interest in our programme."

  4. Awaken as a verb (theology):

    To call to a sense of sin.

  5. Awaken as a verb (rare):

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