awaken
gb/əwˈeɪkən/ us/əwˈeɪkən/
B2
English
~ 7600
felébred, felébreszt, kelt, felkelt, ébreszt, ráébred, életre kelt
VERB
B2
1
felébred
A2
felébreszt
A2
Usage pattern:
to awaken [someone] / awaken [from sleep]
I tend to awaken several times during the night.
Éjszaka általában többször is felébredek.
She was gently awakened by the sound of rain on the window.
Az ablakon kopogó eső hangja finoman felébresztette.
He awakened suddenly from a nightmare, his heart racing.
We usually awaken at dawn when the birds start singing.
Learner examples
I often awaken before my alarm rings.
Gyakran felébredek, mielőtt megszólal az ébresztőm.
The baby awakened when the door closed.
A baba felébredt, amikor becsukódott az ajtó.
She awakens at six o'clock every morning.
He awakened from a deep sleep and looked around the room.
Common mistake:
Learners often use *awaken* in everyday speech where *wake (up)* is more natural, for example saying "I awaken at 7" instead of the more common "I wake up at 7." *Awaken* is correct but sounds more formal or literary. Also, some learners incorrectly use it as an adjective ("I am awaken"), but the correct form is "I am awake."
Meaning
stop sleeping or wake someone
Collocations
awaken suddenly
|awaken from sleep
|awaken with a start
|awaken to the sound of
|awaken in the night
Synonyms
wake (More common and less formal; used in almost all everyday situations.)
|
rouse (Slightly formal; often used when someone is woken with some effort.)
Antonyms
fall asleep (Describes the opposite process of starting to sleep.)
|
put to sleep (Means to cause someone to start sleeping, the reverse of awakening them.)
Themes
daily life
|health
|body
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To stop sleeping, or to make someone stop sleeping.
To stop being asleep, or to cause someone to stop being asleep.
VERB
C1
2
Usage pattern:
to awaken [emotion/interest] (in [someone])
The teacher's stories awakened a real interest in history among the students.
A tanár történetei valódi érdeklődést keltettek a diákokban a történelem iránt.
Traveling abroad awakened in her a desire to learn new languages.
A külföldi utazás vágyat ébresztett benne arra, hogy új nyelveket tanuljon.
The film awakened deep feelings of nostalgia for his childhood.
The tragic news awakened compassion around the world.
Learner examples
The book awakened my interest in science.
A könyv felkeltette az érdeklődésemet a tudomány iránt.
Her speech awakened hope in many people.
A beszéde sok emberben reményt keltett.
The concert awakened his love for music again.
The trip awakened a strong wish to see more of the world.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "awaken to an interest" instead of "awaken an interest in." The common pattern is "awaken [interest/emotion] in [someone]," for example: "The movie awakened an interest in politics in me," or more naturally, "The movie awakened my interest in politics."
Meaning
cause an emotion or interest
Collocations
awaken interest
|awaken curiosity
|awaken desire
|awaken compassion
|awaken a sense of responsibility
Synonyms
arouse (Very close in meaning and register, but can sometimes sound more formal or carry sexual connotations depending on context.)
|
spark (More informal and vivid; suggests starting something suddenly or strongly.)
Antonyms
dull (Means to weaken or reduce a feeling, the opposite of making it stronger.)
|
suppress (Means to stop or hold back a feeling, the opposite of bringing it out.)
Themes
emotions
|education
|psychology
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make a person start to feel a new emotion or interest, or feel it more strongly.
To cause a feeling, emotion, or interest to begin or become stronger in someone.
VERB
C1
3
ráébred
B2
Usage pattern:
to awaken to [something]
Many people are finally awakening to the dangers of climate change.
Sokan végre ráébrednek a klímaváltozás veszélyeire.
The country is slowly awakening to the reality of an aging population.
Az ország lassan ráébred arra, hogy a népesség elöregszik.
After the accident, he awakened to how fragile life can be.
She began to awaken to the fact that her job was making her unhappy.
Learner examples
People are awakening to the problem of plastic waste.
Az emberek kezdenek ráébredni a műanyaghulladék problémájára.
He awakened to the fact that he needed help.
Ráébredt, hogy segítségre van szüksége.
The company is awakening to the need for change.
She is awakening to how important her health is.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"awaken about"* or *"awaken for"* when they mean *awaken to*, as in "People are awakening to this issue." Also, *awaken* in this sense is not usually followed by a direct object; we normally say "awaken to [something]" rather than "awaken [something]" when we mean "become aware."
Meaning
become aware; start noticing
Collocations
awaken to the fact that
|awaken to the reality of
|awaken to the dangers of
|awaken to the need for
|awaken to new possibilities
Synonyms
realize (More common in everyday speech; *awaken* often sounds slightly more formal or dramatic.)
|
become aware of (Very close in meaning; *awaken to* can add a sense of gradual or sudden understanding.)
Antonyms
ignore (Means to choose not to notice or accept something, the opposite of becoming aware of it.)
|
remain unaware of (Describes continuing not to know or understand, the opposite of awakening to something.)
Themes
thinking
|society
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To start to see or understand something that you did not see or understand before.
To begin to understand or recognize a fact, problem, or situation, especially after not noticing it before.
VERB
C2
LITERARY
4
életre kelt
B2
ébreszt
B2
Usage pattern:
to awaken [something]
The first warm days of spring awakened the forest.
Az első meleg tavaszi napok életre keltették az erdőt.
The smell of the sea air awakened old memories of his childhood holidays.
A tengeri levegő illata régi emlékeket ébresztett benne a gyerekkori nyaralásairól.
The festival awakened the sleepy town for one exciting weekend.
The music awakened something deep inside her that she could not name.
Learner examples
The sun awakened the quiet city in the morning.
Reggel a nap életre keltette a csendes várost.
The old song awakened many memories in him.
A régi dal sok emléket ébresztett benne.
The warm weather awakened the garden after winter.
The story awakened old dreams in her mind.
Meaning
make something active again
Collocations
awaken memories
|awaken the city
|awaken the forest
|awaken old dreams
|awaken dormant forces
Synonyms
revive (Very close in meaning; *revive* is slightly more common in neutral contexts, while *awaken* often sounds more poetic.)
|
reawaken (Stresses that something is being awakened again after being inactive for a time.)
Antonyms
quieten (Means to make something less active or noisy, the opposite of bringing it to life.)
|
put to rest (Means to end or calm something, the reverse of awakening or reviving it.)
Themes
nature
|memory
|literature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something that was quiet or not active start again or become active.
To cause something that has been inactive, quiet, or absent to begin again or become active, lively, or noticeable.
Grammar
Dictionary form
awaken
IPA
GB/əwˈeɪkən/
US/əwˈeɪkən/
Syllables & stress
awaken (1 syllable)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: awaken
- 3rd Person Singular: awakens
- Present Participle: awakening
- Past: awakened
Word family
Expressions
awaken [someone] to [something]
1/əwˈeɪkən sˈʌmwˌʌn tə sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
make someone aware of something
To help someone see or understand a fact, problem, or situation that they did not really notice before.
Examples
- The documentary awakened many viewers to the effects of fast fashion.
- Her experience abroad awakened her parents to how independent she had become.
awaken an interest in [something]
1/əwˈeɪkən ən ˈɪntɚˌɛst ˈɪn sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
create interest in something
To make a person start to feel interested in a subject, activity, or area.
Examples
- A good teacher can awaken an interest in reading in even the quietest student.
- The trip to the science museum awakened an interest in space travel in the children.
awaken from a dream
1/əwˈeɪkən fɹˈʌm ə dɹˈim/
fixed phrase
literary
stop sleeping and dreaming
To come out of a dream and stop sleeping.
Examples
- He awakened from a dream with a strong feeling that something was wrong.
- She awakened from a dream and needed a few seconds to remember where she was.
awaken to [something]
1/əwˈeɪkən tə sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
become aware of something
To start to see or understand a problem, fact, or situation that you did not really notice before.
Examples
- Consumers are awakening to the health risks of too much sugar.
- Many countries are awakening to the reality of climate change.