awakening

noun

awak·​en·​ing ə-ˈwāk-niŋ 

ə-ˈwā-kə-

plural awakenings

1

: a rousing from sleep

The night terror is an abrupt awakening early in the night, most often within the first hour or two of sleep …

—Franklin Galvin et al.

2

a

: a rousing from inactivity or indifference

… one of the primary branches of yoga … prescribes various practices to assist the yogi in the gradual awakening of the heart.

—James Bailey

b

: a revival of interest in something (such as religion)

Russian Jews themselves experienced a cultural and political awakening after Israel's victory, some openly challenging their government's ban on religious and Hebrew training.

—Jonathan D. Sarna

3

: a coming into awareness

Like his discovery of literature, this intimacy becomes an awakening to the possibilities of life.

—Morris Dickstein

Examples of awakening in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Truthfully, nobody can prepare you for a spiritual awakening. —Anya Meyerowitz, Glamour, 12 Dec. 2024

Here, breathtaking views and moments of quiet contemplation amid the pine forests and Spanish moss might bring about a spiritual awakening. —Mark Lakin, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2024

With a 230% surge in usage between 2023 and 2024, this uptick signals a collective awakening to the negative impacts of our increasingly virtual lives. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

Rankin believed that without a widespread moral awakening, the prospect was slim that slavery could be abolished. —TIME, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing awakening

• rude awakening