wakeful

W4A1K5E1F4U1L1
/ˈweɪk.fʊl//ˈweɪk.f(ə)l/

adjective

Awake; not sleeping.

Similar
argus-eyedopen-eyedvigilantwatchfulalertlightshallowwaking
UncommonScrabble 17
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Meanings

adjectivewakeful (comparative more wakeful, superlative most wakeful)

comparative more wakeful · superlative most wakeful · alternative wakefull

  1. Awake; not sleeping.
  2. Sleepless.
  3. Vigilant and alert; watchful.

    “Be wakeful, Beowulf, against our foe.”

    1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 29

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivecarefully observant or attentive; on the lookout for possible danger

Similar
argus-eyedopen-eyedvigilantwatchfulalert

adjective(of sleep) easily disturbed

Similar
lightshallow

adjectivemarked by full consciousness or alertness

Similar
wakingawake
Also see
alertargus-eyedawakelightopen-eyedshallowunsleepfulvigilantwakingwatchfulwoke

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From wake + -ful.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian буден, безсънен
  • буден (buden)awake rather than sleeping — see also awake
  • безсънен (bezsănen)sleepless — see also sleepless
  • бдителен (bditelen)watchful — see also vigilant, watchful
French éveillé
  • éveilléawake rather than sleeping — see also awake
German wach, schlaflos
  • wachsleepless — see also sleepless
  • schlaflossleepless — see also sleepless
  • wachsamsleepless — see also sleepless
  • aufmerksamsleepless — see also sleepless
  • unruhigsleepless — see also sleepless
  • vigilantsleepless — see also sleepless
Hungarian éber, ébren
  • éberawake rather than sleeping — see also awake
  • ébrenawake rather than sleeping — see also awake
  • álmatlansleepless — see also sleepless
  • elővigyázatoswatchful — see also vigilant, watchful
  • éberwatchful — see also vigilant, watchful
  • észnél vanwatchful — see also vigilant, watchful
Italian irrequieto, smanioso
  • irrequietosleepless — see also sleepless
  • smaniososleepless — see also sleepless
  • vigilesleepless — see also sleepless
  • attentosleepless — see also sleepless
  • vigilewatchful — see also vigilant, watchful
Latin vigil, exsomnis
  • vigilawake rather than sleeping — see also awake
  • exsomnisawake rather than sleeping — see also awake
  • evigilanssleepless — see also sleepless
  • vigilwatchful — see also vigilant, watchful
Māori matatū, tūrama
  • matatūawake rather than sleeping — see also awake
  • tūramasleepless — see also sleepless
  • tūramaramasleepless — see also sleepless
  • whakawhetūsleepless — see also sleepless
Norwegian vaken
  • vakensleepless — see also sleepless
Polish bezsenny
  • bezsennysleepless — see also sleepless
Portuguese vígil, desperto
  • vígilawake rather than sleeping — see also awake
  • despertosleepless — see also sleepless
  • vigilantewatchful — see also vigilant, watchful
Ukrainian безсо́нний, пи́льний
  • безсо́нний (bezsónnyj)sleepless — see also sleepless
  • пи́льний (pýlʹnyj)watchful — see also vigilant, watchful
Cite this entry
APA

wakeful. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wakeful

MLA

“wakeful.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wakeful. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wakeful,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wakeful.

Source: wakeful on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.