alive
Americanadjective
-
having life; living; existing; not dead or lifeless.
- Antonyms:
- dead
-
living (used for emphasis).
the proudest man alive.
-
in a state of action; in force or operation; active.
to keep hope alive.
- Antonyms:
- defunct
-
full of energy and spirit; lively.
Grandmother's more alive than most of her contemporaries.
- Antonyms:
- lifeless
-
having the quality of life; vivid; vibrant.
The room was alive with color.
-
Electricity. live.
idioms
-
alive to, alert or sensitive to; aware of.
City planners are alive to the necessity of revitalizing deteriorating neighborhoods.
-
look alive! pay attention! move quickly!.
Look alive! We haven't got all day.
-
alive with, filled with living things; swarming; teeming.
The room was alive with mosquitoes.
adjective
-
(of people, animals, plants, etc) living; having life
-
in existence; active
they kept hope alive
the tradition was still alive
-
(immediately postpositive and usually used with a superlative) of those living; now living
the happiest woman alive
-
full of life; lively
she was wonderfully alive for her age
-
(usually foll by with) animated
a face alive with emotion
-
(foll by to) aware (of); sensitive (to)
-
(foll by with) teeming (with)
the mattress was alive with fleas
-
electronics another word for live 2
-
(of a person) active and in good health
-
hurry up! get busy!
Other Word Forms
- aliveness noun
- half-alive adjective
Etymology
Origin of alive
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English on līfe “in life”; equivalent to a- 1 + life
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
With thousands of supporters due to travel over the Christmas period, Carse acknowledged the responsibility of keeping the series alive.
From BBC
Few people were more agnostically alive than Stoppard, who loved the finer things in life and handsomely earned them with his inexhaustible wit.
From Los Angeles Times
He described McLaren's strategy as "an interesting move", adding: "But still you have to keep the tyres alive."
From BBC
The Dutchman has to finish ahead of Norris to keep his chances alive.
From BBC
Kennedy, 71, has no medical or government background, but since his appointment in February, he has undertaken massive changes to the nation’s many agencies tasked with keeping people alive and healthy.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
