What Does 'Woke' Mean? | Merriam-Webster
May 19, 2025 · Woke is a slang term that has made its way into the mainstream from some varieties of African American English. In AAE, awake is often rendered as woke, as in, “I was sleeping, but now …
What does the word 'woke' really mean, and where does it come from? - NPR
Jul 19, 2023 · One word has become unavoidable on the campaign trail — woke. But what does it really mean and where does it come from? The word has a long and serious history in Black culture.
Woke - Wikipedia
Woke is an adjective derived from African-American English used since the 1930s or earlier to refer to awareness of racial prejudice and discrimination, often in the construction stay woke. The term …
What does it mean to be woke? How the term is used as a criticism
What is the definition and history of 'woke'? The term "woke" used to have a different meaning. It was first used by Pan-African activist Marcus Garvey as early as 1923.
You Hear It All the Time, But What Does “Woke” Actually Mean?
Jan 5, 2026 · Originally, woke came from Black American vernacular and meant exactly what it sounds like: being awake. As in, aware. Paying attention. Specifically, being conscious of racial injustice and …
Were did the term woke come from? - factually.co
6 days ago · Executive summary The word “woke” originated in African American English as a call to be alert to racial injustice and political consciousness; it appear...
What “Woke” Really Means: A Look at a Loaded Word
Jan 15, 2026 · Liberals think “woke” means justice and empathy. Conservatives think it means judgment and control. The exact same thing—a company ad featuring diverse families, a school curriculum …
Woke - Political Dictionary
A person described as “woke” is often seen as being sensitive to social issues, promoting inclusiveness, diversity, and equality. The term has also been associated with progressive movements, social …
Understanding “Woke” – What It Means and Why It Matters
Oct 16, 2025 · It started from the word awake, meaning being alert or aware. In this context, woke means being aware of unfairness, discrimination, or injustice in society. It means noticing how people …
Here’s what ‘woke’ means and how to respond to it
Dec 20, 2023 · Typically, “wokeness” and “woke ideology” are terms of abuse, used against a variety of practices that, despite their diversity, have a similar character. Often, what is dismissed as “woke”...