wakeful — unable to sleep or remaining awake; alert and vigilant
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: unable to sleep or remaining awake; alert and vigilant
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈweɪkfəl/
Example Sentences
- After drinking five cups of coffee, Jake was wakeful until 4 AM, counting sheep that looked suspiciously like his angry boss.
- The new parents were wakeful for weeks, wondering if babies came with an instruction manual.
- The security guard remained wakeful throughout his night shift.
wakeful
ADJECTIVE[/ˈweɪkfəl/]
unable to sleep or remaining awake; alert and vigilant
A wakeful mother watches over her sleeping baby through the night
Staying wakeful brought a grateful, fateful dawn
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Old English 'waeccan', meaning 'to be awake' or 'to watch'. It combines the verb 'wake' with the suffix '-ful', which denotes abundance or fullness of a quality. The resulting word literally describes a state filled with wakefulness or alertness.
Breakdown
wake (to rouse from sleep, from Old English waeccan) + -ful (full of, having the quality of). The suffix '-ful' transforms the verb into an adjective meaning 'full of wakefulness' or 'characterized by being awake'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“After drinking five cups of coffee, Jake was wakeful until 4 AM, counting sheep that looked suspiciously like his angry boss.”
“The new parents were wakeful for weeks, wondering if babies came with an instruction manual.”
“The security guard remained wakeful throughout his night shift.”
“Her wakeful mind kept replaying the embarrassing moment when she called her teacher 'mom'.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.