aware

aware — adjective

1. if you are aware of a fact, situation, or feeling, you know about it and underst

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

if you are aware of a fact, situation, or feeling, you know about it and understand what it means — whether someone told you, or you noticed it yourself.

Example

Mei was aware that her brother had been crying in his bedroom all afternoon.

aware + that-clause for known facts

Most parents in the village are aware of the danger of leaving children near the river.

aware of + noun for a known risk

Common collocations
  • fully aware
  • well aware
  • painfully aware
  • dimly aware
  • vaguely aware
  • acutely aware
  • become aware of
  • make someone aware that
Synonyms
  • conscious

    very close in meaning, but more often used for feelings, body states, or self-perception (conscious of being watched).

  • mindful

    slightly formal; suggests you are keeping the fact in mind so it shapes your behaviour.

  • cognizant

    formal and rather legal; mostly written, used in reports and policies.

Antonyms
  • unaware

    direct opposite; you do not know or have not noticed.

  • ignorant

    stronger and often negative; suggests the person should know but does not.

  • oblivious

    not aware and not paying attention, often comically so.

Grammar Patterns

aware of + noun/-ing

aware that + clause

be/become/make someone aware

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 2: this sense reports that a person has received or holds a piece of information, while sense 2 describes someone who actively follows and cares about a wider topic. Use sense 1 with 'of + noun' or 'that + clause'; the bare form ('She is aware') is rare and usually needs context.

Common Mistakes

I am aware about the new rule.
I am aware of the new rule.
'aware' takes 'of', not 'about'.
He is aware to leave early.
He is aware that he must leave early.
use a that-clause, not a to-infinitive.

2. caring about a particular subject — such as the environment, society, health, or

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

caring about a particular subject — such as the environment, society, health, or money — and keeping up with current news and trends around it, so that your everyday choices reflect that concern.

Example

Hadiya shops at the farmers' market because she is environmentally aware and wants to support local growers.

compound adverb pattern: environmentally aware

The students wrote letters to the mayor, showing how socially aware their generation has become.

compound adverb pattern: socially aware

Common collocations
  • environmentally aware
  • socially aware
  • politically aware
  • culturally aware
  • health-aware
  • eco-aware
  • brand-aware
  • increasingly aware
Synonyms
  • informed

    knows current facts but does not always imply caring about them as values.

  • conscious

    in compounds like 'eco-conscious' or 'health-conscious', very close to this sense of 'aware'.

  • switched-on

    informal British; praises someone for keeping up with modern trends and issues.

  • engaged

    stresses active involvement, not just knowing — going to meetings, voting, donating.

Antonyms
  • ignorant

    not informed, often used disapprovingly.

  • out of touch

    no longer following what is happening in a subject or community.

  • indifferent

    may know the facts but does not care about them.

Grammar Patterns

[adverb]-aware (environmentally/socially/politically aware)

an aware [person/voter/consumer]

Usage Note

Almost always preceded by an adverb naming the topic: 'environmentally', 'socially', 'politically', 'culturally', 'health', 'eco', 'brand'. Without that adverb, English speakers usually pick sense 1. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense praises a person's lifestyle or values; sense 1 only reports knowledge of a single fact.

Common Mistakes

She is aware of environment.
She is environmentally aware.
for the lifestyle meaning, use the adverb-plus-aware compound, not 'aware of'.
He is a very aware person.
He is a very socially aware person.
name the topic with an adverb so the meaning is clear.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words say that a piece of information has reached someone's mind, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Aware' is the everyday choice and works for almost any topic, from facts to feelings: 'I'm aware of the problem.' 'Conscious' overlaps strongly but leans toward inner states and self-perception; you are conscious of pain or of being stared at, more often than of a memo. 'Mindful' adds intention — you keep the fact in mind so it shapes your behaviour, common in advice ('be mindful of your tone with the children'). 'Cognizant' is formal, almost legal, and shows up in reports and policies rather than speech ('the board is cognizant of the risks'). For everyday Taiwan English classrooms, default to 'aware'; switch to the others only when you want extra warmth, care, or formality.

aware ↗conscious ↗mindfulcognizant

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • be / become / stay aware
  • make someone aware
  • as far as I am aware
  • not that I am aware of

Prepositions

  • of (a fact, a danger, a feeling)

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

'Aware' comes from Old English 'gewær', meaning 'watchful' or 'on guard', built from a prefix 'ge-' and a root 'wær' that meant 'careful, attentive'. The same root also gave English 'wary' and 'beware'. Over the centuries the sense softened from 'on the lookout for danger' to the modern 'knowing that something is the case', though the older flavour of careful attention still lingers in fixed phrases like 'be aware of your surroundings'.