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alert
[ uh-lurt ]
adjective
- fully aware and attentive; wide-awake; keen:
She had an alert mind.
Synonyms: observant, wary, awake
Antonyms: unaware
- swift; agile; nimble.
noun
- an attitude of vigilance, readiness, or caution, as before an expected attack.
- a warning or alarm of an impending military attack, a storm, etc.:
We'd just boarded the bus when the alert sounded.
- the period during which such a warning or alarm is in effect.
verb (used with object)
- to warn (troops, ships, etc.) to prepare for action.
- to warn of an impending raid, attack, storm, etc.:
The radio alerted coastal residents to prepare for the hurricane.
- to advise or warn; cause to be on guard:
to alert gardeners to the dangers of some pesticides.
alert
/ əˈlɜːt /
adjective
- vigilantly attentive
alert to the problems
- brisk, nimble, or lively
noun
- an alarm or warning, esp a siren warning of an air raid
- the period during which such a warning remains in effect
- on the alert
- on guard against danger, attack, etc
- watchful; ready
on the alert for any errors
verb
- to warn or signal (troops, police, etc) to prepare for action
- to warn of danger, an attack, etc
Derived Forms
- aˈlertly, adverb
- aˈlertness, noun
Other Words From
- a·lertly adverb
- a·lertness noun
- hyper·a·lert adjective
- una·lerted adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of alert1
Word History and Origins
Origin of alert1
Idioms and Phrases
- on the alert, on guard against danger; in readiness; vigilant:
The state police are on the alert for an escaped convict believed to be in the area.
More idioms and phrases containing alert
see on the alert .Synonym Study
Example Sentences
Recent malfunctions in the emergency alert system have only heightened the terror.
Amid heightened anxiety over deadly wildfires and erroneous evacuation alerts, Angelenos got another dose of panic Friday when a social media hoax about immigration sweeps in Los Angeles began to circulate online.
The 63-year-old left with his wife and son after receiving an alert shortly before 3:30 a.m.
“All hospitals in close proximity to the fires remain on high alert and are prepared to evacuate if conditions worsen,” the Hospital Assn. of Southern California said in a statement.
This time we left as soon as our phones buzzed with an evacuation warning alert.
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More About Alert
What does alert mean?
An alert is a warning or alarm, especially an alarm about dangerous weather or a military attack, as in The National Weather Service has alerts for tornadoes, hurricanes, Nor’easters, and other severe weather occurrences.
Alert is also an attitude of readiness or caution, as in Tina was on alert for news of her son’s acceptance into college.
Alert describes being fully attentive or wide awake, as in Sabine needs to be awake for several hours before she is alert and ready to work. You can be alert to the people and objects surrounding you. When you are alert, you’re ready to act or react instead of being surprised. But you can also be alert to concepts, ideas, and trends, ready to react to a change in others’ thoughts or to a change in the market.
To alert means to advise or to warn, as with an alert. For example, your teacher might alert you that your big project is due soon, while a police department might alert the public about a dangerous person on the streets.
Example: Alert the security team of the incident and then head home.
Where does alert come from?
The first records of alert come from around the 1600s. It comes from the Italian all’erta, meaning “on the watch, on the lookout.”
Another type of alert is the notifications we get on our mobile phones, computers, and similar devices. These alerts aren’t meant to warn you but to notify you. For example, a sound might play when you receive a voice call, an icon might appear on the screen when you receive a new email, or a light might blink when you receive a new text message. All of these are alerts that alert you to new activity in an application. To keep from being overwhelmed with alerts, some people shut off some or all alerts on their devices.
Did you know … ?
What are some other forms related to alert?
- alertly (adverb)
- alertness (noun)
- hyperalert (adjective)
- unalerted (adjective)
What are some synonyms for alert?
What are some words that share a root or word element with alert?
- alertly
- alertness
- unalerted
What are some words that often get used in discussing alert?
How is alert used in real life?
Alert is most commonly used to refer to notifications on mobile phones and other digital devices.
alert. breaking news. i love you
— Thoughts of Dog® (@dog_feelings) August 2, 2017
🚨🚨🚨 SPOILER ALERT 🚨🚨🚨
(You're welcome, @steelers.)
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 3, 2016
Who wants to hang out and drive the speed limit Who wants to not honk at other drivers unless it’s to alert potential collision I do – Lil B
— Lil B THE BASEDGOD (@LILBTHEBASEDGOD) October 2, 2017
Try using alert!
Is alert used correctly in the following sentence?
I shut off all the alerts on my phone when I go to sleep at night.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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