Meanings
nounalertness (usually uncountable, plural alertnesses)
plural alertnesses
- uncountableusuallyThe quality of being alert or on the alert.
THE human body was meant to have a midafternoon nap, according to a new consensus among sleep researchers who are studying the biological rhythms of sleep and alertness.
1989 September 12, Daniel Goleman, “Feeling Sleepy? An Urge to Nap Is Built In”, in The New York Times
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe process of paying close and continuous attention
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Afrikaans waaksaamheid
- waaksaamheidquality of being alert
Bengali সতর্কীকরণ
- সতর্কীকরণ (śotorkikron)quality of being alert
Dutch alertheid, waakzaamheid
- alertheidquality of being alert
- waakzaamheidquality of being alert
Finnish varuillaanolo
- varuillaanoloquality of being alert
Hindi सतर्कता, सजगता
- सतर्कता (satarkatā)quality of being alert
- सजगता (sajagtā)quality of being alert
Italian vigilanza
- vigilanzaquality of being alert
Latin vigilantia
- vigilantiaquality of being alert
Latvian modrība, modrums
- modrībaquality of being alert
- modrumsquality of being alert
Polish baczenie, czujność
- baczeniequality of being alert
- czujnośćquality of being alert
- uwagaquality of being alert
Spanish vigilancia
- vigilanciaquality of being alert
Cite this entry
APA
alertness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alertness
MLA
“alertness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alertness. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alertness,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alertness.
Source: alertness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.