woke

word · lemma: wake

/ˈwoʊk/
wohk
/wˈəʊk/
wohk

Definition

'Woke' is the past tense of 'wake' and means stopped sleeping and became conscious. In some contexts, it can also be an adjective meaning socially aware, but the main meaning is the past form of the verb.

Usage & Nuances

Most often, 'woke' is simply the past tense in sentences like 'I woke up early.' It is commonly used with 'up' ('woke up'). Don't confuse this with the adjective 'woke', which is more political and often appears in discussions about social justice, sometimes neutrally and sometimes critically.

Example Sentences

I woke at six this morning.

basic

She woke when the baby cried.

basic

We woke late on Sunday.

basic

I don't know what time I woke up, but it was still dark outside.

natural

I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep.

natural

He woke up to the smell of coffee coming from the kitchen.

natural