Awokening
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A progressive or leftist political or social movement or attitude, especially toward social justice issues, or the effects of such a movement. derogatory, usually
"It could be argued that the rise of the socially conscious model reflects a very 2017 archetype: the “woke” young woman, who looks set to define femininity this decade in the same way that the lager-swilling ladette did in the 90s. It is also symptomatic of a broader cultural “awokening” that has reached the stuffiest institutions; even the royal family has recently relaxed its upper lip."
- 2 Media or political discourse displaying or commenting on woke stances toward social justice. capitalized, often
"Ta-Nehisi Coates’s 2014 article making the case for reparations was obviously enormously influential on the specifics of that question, but also more broadly in the larger Awokening — such that references to redlining and other discriminatory aspects of the post-World War II real estate market are now commonplace throughout progressive circles."
Example
More examples"It could be argued that the rise of the socially conscious model reflects a very 2017 archetype: the “woke” young woman, who looks set to define femininity this decade in the same way that the lager-swilling ladette did in the 90s. It is also symptomatic of a broader cultural “awokening” that has reached the stuffiest institutions; even the royal family has recently relaxed its upper lip."
Etymology
Blend of woke (“holding left-wing views toward social justice”) + awakening, influenced by Great Awakening, any of several periods of religious revival in the United States. Attested from the 2010s.
Related phrases
More for "awokening"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.