woke

4 synonyms for woke, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adj — Aware of and actively concerned about social injustice, especially around race.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

progressive

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

enlightened

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

politically aware socially conscious

How to use woke

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

woke culture go woke stay woke

Highly politically charged; the same word can be a compliment or a put-down depending on the speaker's stance.

Etymology

Originally the informal past tense of "wake" ("I woke up"). The social-justice sense dates back to the 1930s among Black American speakers, then spread widely online in the 2010s — where it also picked up a critical, mocking use.

Full origin of woke →

Frequently asked questions

What does “woke” mean?

The word “woke” means aware of and actively concerned about social injustice, especially around race. In plain terms, alert to social injustice — used approvingly by some and as an insult by others, depending on who is speaking.

How do you pronounce “woke”?

“Woke” is pronounced wohk (/woʊk/ in IPA).

How do you use “woke” in a sentence?

Here is “woke” used in a sentence: “The brand tried to seem woke with its new ad campaign.”

What part of speech is “woke”?

“Woke” is an adjective.

Where does the word “woke” come from?

The word “woke” dates back to around 1930.

Is “woke” a common word?

“Woke” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “woke” have?

“Woke” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: aware of and actively concerned about social injustice, especially around race.

Why does 'woke' have both a positive and a negative meaning?

'Woke' originally described being aware of and actively concerned about social injustice, especially around race, and was used approvingly. Over time it was also taken up critically to describe someone or something seen as overly focused on political correctness or identity politics, so its tone now depends heavily on who is using it.

Is 'woke' also the past tense of 'wake'?

Yes, and the two are unrelated in meaning. 'Woke' is the standard past tense of the verb 'wake', as in 'I woke up early', but as a modern adjective it describes awareness of, or perceived over-concern with, social injustice.

Is 'woke' formal or informal?

'Woke' is informal and belongs to everyday speech, journalism, and social media rather than formal writing. Because its meaning can be either approving or critical, it is worth using with care, since readers may interpret it very differently.

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