What does wake mean?
Wake is a versatile English word most often used as a verb meaning to stop sleeping or to become alert. It can also be transitive, as in a sound that wakes someone, and it may mean becoming aware of a danger or opportunity. The phrase “in the wake of” uses the noun to describe the aftermath or consequences of an event, while the literal nautical sense refers to the disturbed water behind a moving ship. A less common noun sense denotes a vigil held before a funeral, especially in Irish usage. In standard modern English, “wake up” is usually more conversational than the bare verb “wake.” The word is also readily confused with weak, which has a long vowel sound and means lacking strength. Wake is especially useful because it can describe both a transition from sleep and a broader figurative awakening, as when a person wakes to the realities of a situation.
To stop sleeping, become alert or aware, or cause someone or something to stop sleeping.
"The noise outside woke the baby."
The bare form is more literary or formal than “wake up” in everyday speech.
A track of disturbed water or air behind a moving vessel; the aftermath or consequences of an event; or a funeral vigil held before burial.
"The launch left a glittering wake across the bay."
The funeral-vigil sense is chiefly associated with Irish usage, while “in the wake of” is common in formal English.
The standard plural is used chiefly in the funeral-vigil and ship-track senses, although it is relatively uncommon in modern usage.
"The wakes continued into the early hours."
A ship’s wake gave us a vivid metaphor for consequences: what follows “in the wake” of an event.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wake come from?
Modern English wake developed from Old English forms related to waking, watching, and rousing, with the verb and noun ultimately tracing to a Germanic root meaning “to be awake.” Proto-Germanic forms in this family are reflected in relatives such as German wachen, Dutch waken, and Old Norse vaka. The verb and noun senses developed alongside the older idea of keeping watch, while the ship-track sense provided the basis for figurative expressions such as “in the wake of.”
Related word forms
How wake is actually used
The unadorned verb is somewhat more literary or formal than the common phrasal form with “up.” The phrase “in the wake of” is formal and can refer to events, decisions, or consequences that follow another event. The funeral-vigil sense is especially associated with Irish English.
Easily confused with wake
Wake is pronounced /weɪk/, while weak is pronounced /wiːk/ and means lacking strength or power.