[aware] adj [ME iwar, fr. OE gewaer, fr. ge- (associative prefix) + waer wary--more at co-, wary] (bef. 12c) 1 archaic: watchful, wary
2: having or showing realization, perception, or knowledge -- aware.ness n syn aware, cognizant, conscious, sensible, alive, awake mean having knowledge of something. aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences "aware of changes in climate". cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources "not fully cognizant of the facts". conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it "conscious that my heart was pounding". sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving esp. of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities "sensible of a teacher's influence". alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something "alive to the thrill of danger". awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert "a country always awake to the threat of invasion".