ALERT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (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 3 senses:

1. engaged in or accustomed to close observation

2. quick and energetic

3. mentally perceptive and responsive

  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)

Sense 1

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 imminent (or more generally a state of alert resulting from imminent danger))

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

Derivation:

alert (warn or arouse to a sense of danger or call to a state of preparedness)

alert (engaged in or accustomed to close observation)

Sense 2

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)

Derivation:

alert (warn or arouse to a sense of danger or call to a state of preparedness)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

alarm; alarum; alert; warning signal

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

sign; signal; signaling (any nonverbal action or gesture 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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Derivation:

alert (warn or arouse to a sense of danger or call to a state of preparedness)

• ALERT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Engaged in or accustomed to close observation

Synonyms:

alert; watchful

Context example:

constantly alert and vigilant, like a sentinel on duty

Similar:

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

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

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

lidless; sleepless (always watchful)

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 to what is potentially dangerous)

Derivation:

alert (condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action)

alertness (lively attentiveness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Quick and energetic

Synonyms:

alert; brisk; lively; merry; rattling; snappy; spanking; zippy

Context example:

a spanking breeze

Similar:

energetic (possessing or exerting or displaying energy)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Mentally perceptive and responsive

Synonyms:

alert; alive; awake

Context example:

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)

Derivation:

alertness (the process of paying close and continuous attention)

• ALERT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they alert    ... he / she / it alerts   
Past simple: alerted   
Past participle: alerted   
-ing form: alerting   

Sense 1

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:

alarm; alert

Context example:

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

Derivation:

alert (an automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger)

alert (a warning serves to make you more alert to danger)

alert (condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action)

 Context examples 

Now and again other men joined in, and all followed the discussion with cigarettes going out in their hands and with alert, intent faces.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Issue associated with device providing incorrect alarm warning or alert to user.

(False Alarm Medical Device Problem, Food and Drug Administration)

This can make you more alert and give you a boost of energy.

(Caffeine, Food and Drug Administration)

If you are alert to all the details, you will be fine.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

His gallantry was always on the alert.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

But from that morning he has disappeared, and although a large reward has been offered, and all the gypsies of Dartmoor are on the alert, no news has come of him.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He had lost his listless expression, and again I saw an alert light of interest in his keen, deep-set eyes.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The Canaan Dog is a sturdy, medium-sized, squarely proportioned herding dog with a bushy tail carried curled over the back when the dog is alert.

(Canaan Dog, NCI Thesaurus)

The caregivers try to control pain and other symptoms so a person can remain as alert and comfortable as possible.

(Hospice Care, NIH: National Cancer Institute)

“Of course we're on the alert as our neighbor state has just seen an outbreak, but there is no evidence of yellow fever in our state,” he said.

(Aedes mosquitoes almost impossible to eradicate, says Brazilian researcher, Agência Brasil)