alive

adjective

ə-ˈlīv How to pronounce alive (audio)
Definition of alivenext
1
as in breathing
having or showing life we were relieved to find that the little bird was still alive after crashing into the plate glass window

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in buzzing
marked by much life, movement, or activity the mall was alive with holiday shoppers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in operating
being in effective operation kept the cause of peace alive despite severe setbacks in relations between the two nations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in existing
having being at the present time describes her boyfriend as the sweetest guy alive

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in aware
having specified facts or feelings actively impressed on the mind alive to the need for major improvements in the school system

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective alive contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of alive are awake, aware, cognizant, conscious, and sensible. While all these words mean "having knowledge of something," alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something.

alive to the thrill of danger

When could awake be used to replace alive?

In some situations, the words awake and alive are roughly equivalent. However, awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

Where would aware be a reasonable alternative to alive?

While in some cases nearly identical to alive, aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

When would cognizant be a good substitute for alive?

While the synonyms cognizant and alive are close in meaning, cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

When can conscious be used instead of alive?

The words conscious and alive can be used in similar contexts, but conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.

conscious that my heart was pounding

When is sensible a more appropriate choice than alive?

Although the words sensible and alive have much in common, sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving especially of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities.

sensible of a teacher's influence

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of alive Or, perhaps, the hopes of a less hawkish Federal Reserve, thanks to the cool June jobs report, keeps the broadening trade alive at the expense of the first-half winners. — Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 5 July 2026 Much of his output fits under that label, and ever since the release of his namesake biopic, Michael, the chart-topper has dominated several R&B tallies like few before him, dead or alive. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026 The family fought for three hours last July Fourth to stay alive after more than a summer’s worth of rain fell overnight on bone-dry soil, pushing the waterway from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes. — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026 The outcome, coupled with a result in the previous game, keeps alive the potential for a Colombia-Argentina quarterfinal here next Saturday, July 11. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for alive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alive
  1. live
  2. buzzing
  3. operating
  4. existing
  5. aware
  6. animate
  7. busy
  8. operational
Adjective
  • Finished over live heat for caramelization, the ribs develop a sticky, smoky crust without requiring a smoker.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • Save 25% on NBC News subscription Get exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.
    — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of live
Adjective
  • Scott Usheroff The wine scene has evolved from hobby industry to a buzzing, blooming viticulture scene.
    — Kate Dingwall, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • The device will completely block the ear canal and cause a low buzzing noise that makes drifting off hard.
    — Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Definition of buzzing
Adjective
  • True, some if the upside surprise has come from non-operating gains on holdings in huge, private AI pioneers, but not all of it.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 2 June 2026
  • Exxon operates some of the wells directly and holds a financial, non-operating interest in the others.
    — Rachel Nostrant, Houston Chronicle, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of operating
Adjective
  • Choose from pre-existing design inspiration or ask for a custom look!
    — RS Editors, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2026
  • That means civil legal aid groups would rely on a finite source of pre-existing, non-replenishing funds that will eventually run out.
    — Nick Sullivan July 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026
Definition of existing
Adjective
  • Buckingham Palace has, however, been aware of that judgment since last Thursday.
    — Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
  • City officials were made aware of the potential dangers the fireworks were posing for the departing and arriving flights.
    — Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of aware
Adjective
  • Zugunruhe is the itinerant desire of any animate being to keep moving and growing.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 6 May 2026
  • The house is dizzyingly animate, like a video game where every object is a glowing grail.
    — Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Definition of animate
Adjective
  • The tribe wants to build a travel center on the land along a busy highway on Long Island.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Because Saturday is typically the busiest day for car sales, most dealerships remain open then and close on Sundays instead.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026
Definition of busy
Adjective
  • Adding to this context, engineering manager Roel Verhoeven noted that the primary hurdle for commercial fusion is ensuring that plants can actually be serviced throughout their operational lifespans.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 2026
  • North Korea first unveiled the Choe Hyon in April 2025, which Kim portrayed as a major step toward expanding his military’s operational reach and preemptive strike capabilities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of operational

Phrases Containing alive

Browse Nearby Words

a little
alive
aliveness
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Cite this Entry

“Alive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alive. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on alive

Nglish: Translation of alive for Spanish Speakers

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