Alert

/əˈlɜːrt/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A warning or notification.

The fire alarm sent an alert throughout the building.

A state of readiness or vigilance.

The soldiers were on high alert for any threats.

verb

To warn someone to pay attention to something or to inform someone about a situation.

The teacher alerted the students about the upcoming exam.

adjective

Quick to notice any unusual and potentially dangerous or difficult circumstances; vigilant.

The alert guard noticed the intruder immediately.

Mentally aware and attentive.

She remained alert during the long meeting.

French 'alerte', from Italian 'all'erta', meaning 'on the watch'.

stay alert

to remain attentive and aware of one's surroundings.

alert to danger

to be aware of and responsive to potential threats.

give an alert

to provide a warning or notification.

alertness

the state of being watchful and prompt to respond.

alerting

the action of notifying someone about something.

On high alert

After the announcement, everyone was on high alert.

Hyper-vigilant

He's been feeling hyper-vigilant since the incident.