woke
What does woke mean?
Alert and awake to social injustice, especially racism. The original sense is "stay aware"; the word has since been pulled in many political directions.
Origin
AAVE, traced to the 1930s and popularised by the phrase "stay woke"; central to 2010s civil-rights discourse.
Frequently asked questions
What does "woke" mean?
Alert and awake to social injustice, especially racism. The original sense is "stay aware"; the word has since been pulled in many political directions.
How do you use "woke" in a sentence?
For example: "The song was a call to stay woke about what was happening."
Where does "woke" come from?
AAVE, traced to the 1930s and popularised by the phrase "stay woke"; central to 2010s civil-rights discourse.
Is "woke" AAVE (African-American Vernacular English)?
Yes — "woke" is classed as AAVE (African-American Vernacular English) on FreeDict. Alert and awake to social injustice, especially racism. The original sense is "stay aware"; the word has since been pulled in many political directions.