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alert

2 syllables

Quick answer

As an adjective, alert means attentive. As a noun, it means an alarm.

Meanings of alert

13 meanings

Attentive; awake; on guard.
Engaged in or accustomed to close observation
“caught by a couple of alert cops”
“alert enough to spot the opportunity when it came”
“constantly alert and vigilant, like a sentinel on duty”
Similar: watchful
Quick and energetic
“a brisk walk in the park”
“a lively gait”
“a merry chase”
Similar: brisk, lively, merry, rattling, snappy, spanking
Mentally perceptive and responsive
“an alert mind”
“alert to the problems”
“alive to what is going on”
Similar: alive, awake

Older and rare meanings (1)

An alarm.
A notification of higher importance than an advisory.
militaryA state of readiness for potential combat.
“an airborne alert; ground alert”
Condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action
“bombers were put on alert during the crisis”
Similar: qui vive
A warning serves to make you more alert to danger
Similar: alerting
An automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger
Similar: alarm, warning signal, alarum

To give warning to.
Warn or arouse to a sense of danger or call to a state of preparedness
“The empty house alarmed him”
“We alerted the new neighbors to the high rate of burglaries”
Similar: alarm

Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).