Wake vs. Awaken: What's the Difference?
Wake and awaken are verbs related to the act of ceasing to sleep, but they have different uses and connotations. Wake is often used in its simple form to denote the stop of sleep or to nudge someone out of sleep. Awaken, on the other hand, carries a more formal tone and implies a more gradual or coming to consciousness, often being used in literature or more poetic contexts.
How do you use the word wake in a sentence?
The word wake is commonly used as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it refers to the act of stopping sleep, while as a noun it can refer to a vigil for the dead or the aftermath of a ship moving in water. It's used in everyday language to describe the start of one's day or to request someone else to stop sleeping.
Examples of wake in a sentence
- He usually wakes at 6 a.m. to prepare for work.
- The loud alarm caused her to wake suddenly from a deep sleep.
- After the ship passed, it left a large wake behind it.
How do you use the word awaken in a sentence?
Awaken is typically used as a verb, suggesting a gentler transition from sleep to wakefulness or a figurative emergence into awareness or realization. It often implies a slow or deliberate process and can be used metaphorically to describe coming into knowledge or feeling.
Examples of awaken in a sentence
- The sound of birds chirping outside the window served to gently awaken her.
- Reading the poem awakened a deep sense of empathy within him.
- As spring arrives, the hibernating animals awaken from their long sleep.
Wake and awaken definition, parts of speech, and pronunciation
Wake definition:
Wake as a verb means to emerge or cause someone to emerge from sleep. As a noun, wake refers to a vigil held for someone who has died, or the trail of disturbed water or air left by the passage of a ship or aircraft.
Wake parts of speech:
Wake pronunciation:
The word wake is pronounced as /weɪk/.
Awaken definition:
Awaken is a verb that means to stop sleeping or to rouse from sleep, intransitively or transitively, but often implies a transformation or revitalization in a figurative sense.
Awaken parts of speech:
Awaken pronunciation:
Awaken is pronounced as /əˈweɪkən/.
Wake as a verb means to emerge or cause someone to emerge from sleep. As a noun, wake refers to a vigil held for someone who has died, or the trail of disturbed water or air left by the passage of a ship or aircraft.
Wake parts of speech:
- Verb: She wakes up early every day for her morning jog.
- Noun: They held a wake for the fisherman lost at sea.
Wake pronunciation:
The word wake is pronounced as /weɪk/.
Awaken definition:
Awaken is a verb that means to stop sleeping or to rouse from sleep, intransitively or transitively, but often implies a transformation or revitalization in a figurative sense.
Awaken parts of speech:
- Verb, intransitive: The nation awakened to the need for environmental reform.
- Verb, transitive: Her passion for social justice was awakened by her volunteer work.
Awaken pronunciation:
Awaken is pronounced as /əˈweɪkən/.
Wake vs. awaken in a nutshell
Both wake and awaken are verbs to describe the transition from sleep to wakefulness. Wake is more commonly used in everyday language and can also serve as a noun. Awaken tends to be more formal and poetic, often used metaphorically to imply a gradual or meaningful rise to consciousness. Pronunciation and part of speech usage play a significant role in choosing the appropriate word for a given context.
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