ALERT

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does alert mean? 

• ALERT (noun)
  The noun ALERT has 3 senses:

1. condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action
2. a warning serves to make you more alert to danger
3. an automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger

  Familiarity information: ALERT used as a noun is uncommon.

• ALERT (adjective)
  The adjective ALERT has 4 senses:

1. very attentive or observant
2. mentally responsive
3. not unconscious; especially having become conscious
4. (usually followed by 'to') showing acute awareness; mentally perceptive

  Familiarity information: ALERT used as an adjective is uncommon.

• ALERT (verb)
  The verb ALERT has 1 sense:

1. warn or arouse to a sense of danger or call to a state of preparedness

  Familiarity information: ALERT used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ALERT (noun)

Meaning:

Condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

alert; qui vive

Context example:

bombers were put on alert during the crisis

Hypernyms ("alert" is a kind of...):

preparation; preparedness; readiness (the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "alert"):

air alert (the condition in which combat aircraft are airborne and ready for an operation)

red alert (the highest level of alert when an attack by the enemy seems immanent (or more generally a state of alert resulting from immanent danger))

strip alert (a state of readiness for domestic defense aircraft)

Meaning:

A warning serves to make you more alert to danger

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

alert; alerting

Hypernyms ("alert" is a kind of...):

warning (a message informing of danger)

Instance hyponyms:

EAS; Emergency Alert System (a federal warning system that is activated by FEMA; enables the President to take over the United States airwaves to warn the whole country of major catastrophic events)

Meaning:

An automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

alarum; warning signal; alarm; alert

Hypernyms ("alert" is a kind of...):

sign; signal; signaling (any communication that encodes a message)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "alert"):

torpedo (a small explosive device that is placed on a railroad track and fires when a train runs over it; the sound of the explosion warns the engineer of danger ahead)

alarm bell; tocsin (the sound of an alarm (usually a bell))

siren (a warning signal that is a loud wailing sound)

red flag (a flag that serves as a warning signal)

horn (a noise made by the driver of an automobile to give warning)

foghorn; fogsignal (a loud low warning signal that can be heard by fogbound ships)

fire alarm (a shout or bell to warn that fire has broken out)

burglar alarm (a loud warning signal produced by a burglar alarm)

air alert (the warning signal that begins an period of preparation for an enemy air attack)

• ALERT (adjective)

Meaning:

Very attentive or observant

Context examples:

an alert and responsive baby is a joy / caught by a couple of alert cops / alert enough to spot the opportunity when it came / constantly alert and vigilant, like a sentinel on duty

Similar:

on the alert; on the job (watchful and prepared for action)

lidless; sleepless (without having the eyes closed or covered by the eyelids)

heads-up; wide-awake (fully alert and watchful)

fly ((British informal) not to be deceived or hoodwinked)

argus-eyed; open-eyed; vigilant; wakeful; watchful (carefully observant or attentive; on the lookout for possible danger)

Also:

wary (marked by keen caution and watchful prudence)

awake (not in a state of sleep; completely conscious)

lively (full of life and energy)

Antonym:

unalert (not alert or attentive)

Meaning:

Mentally responsive

Context example:

an alert mind

Similar:

intelligent (having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree)

Meaning:

Not unconscious; especially having become conscious

Synonyms:

awake; alert

Context example:

the patient is now awake and alert

Similar:

conscious (knowing and perceiving; having awareness of surroundings and sensations and thoughts)

Meaning:

(usually followed by 'to') showing acute awareness; mentally perceptive

Synonyms:

awake; alert; alive

Context examples:

alert to the problems / alive to what is going on / awake to the dangers of her situation / was now awake to the reality of his predicament

Similar:

aware; cognisant; cognizant ((sometimes followed by 'of') having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception)

• ALERT (verb)

Meaning:

Warn or arouse to a sense of danger or call to a state of preparedness

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

alert; alarm

Context examples:

The empty house alarmed him / We alerted the new neighbors to the high rate of burglaries

Hypernyms (to "alert" is one way to...):

warn (notify of danger, potential harm, or risk)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "alert"):

wake (make aware of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody