great awakening: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Historical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “great awakening” mean?
A widespread spiritual or moral revival.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A widespread spiritual or moral revival; a period of intense religious or social revivalism, often marked by a renewed interest in faith and personal salvation.
Any significant period of renewed interest, enthusiasm, or dramatic change in a particular field (e.g., politics, arts, culture) that affects a large group of people. Used metaphorically to describe a collective realization or shift in consciousness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the US, the term is primarily historical/religious. In the UK, it's more likely to be understood metaphorically, as the specific historical events are American. Both understand the core concept.
Connotations
In both: carries connotations of widespread, sudden, profound change. In US: strong historical and religious weight. In UK: may be seen as a more literary or analytical term.
Frequency
More frequent in American English due to its place in national history and religious studies. Less common in general British discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “great awakening” in a Sentence
The [First/Second] Great Awakening [verb, e.g., swept, occurred, transformed]A great awakening [preposition, e.g., in, of, among] the peopleto experience a great awakeningVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “great awakening” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The population seemed to great-awaken to the ecological crisis.
- (Note: highly unconventional as a verb; standard phrasing: 'experience a great awakening')
American English
- The preacher's sermon great-awakened the community. (Note: highly unconventional as a verb)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form)
adjective
British English
- The great-awakening period was transformative. (Hyphenated attributive use is possible but rare)
American English
- Great-awakening fervour spread through the colonies. (Hyphenated attributive use)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could be used metaphorically: 'The company's near-failure led to a great awakening about the need for innovation.'
Academic
Common in History, Religious Studies, Sociology. 'The Second Great Awakening fundamentally altered the American religious landscape.'
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might be used metaphorically: 'Travelling alone was a great awakening for me.'
Technical
Specifically refers to the named historical periods in US history. Used precisely with ordinal numbers (First, Second).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “great awakening”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “great awakening”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “great awakening”
- Using 'Great Awakening' without 'the' when referring to the historical events (incorrect: 'During Great Awakening...'; correct: 'During the Great Awakening...').
- Confusing it with 'The Enlightenment', which is a separate intellectual movement.
- Using it for small, personal realisations instead of large-scale societal ones.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes, especially as a proper noun for specific historical events. However, it is often used metaphorically for any large-scale cultural or intellectual revival.
Historians typically identify two main ones: the First Great Awakening (c. 1730-1755) and the Second Great Awakening (c. 1790-1840). Some refer to a Third (late 1850s-1900) and even a Fourth (1960s-1970s), but these are less universally defined.
It is stylistically marked. Using it for a purely personal event can sound exaggerated or humorous. 'A personal awakening' or 'an epiphany' is more natural.
The Great Awakening was a religious revival movement stressing faith and emotion. The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement stressing reason, science, and secular philosophy. They occurred in roughly the same period but had different focuses.
A widespread spiritual or moral revival.
Great awakening is usually formal, historical, academic in register.
Great awakening: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt əˈweɪk(ə)nɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt əˈweɪk(ə)nɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A great awakening came over the nation.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a nation 'waking up' (awakening) in a BIG (great) way to new ideas or faith.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONSCIOUSNESS IS LIGHT / SLEEP; A society awakening from a spiritual or intellectual sleep into the light of new understanding.
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is the most accurate description of 'the Great Awakening' in its primary historical sense?